CHICAGO – Jose Contreras pitched a three-hitter for his first career shutout and Jim Thome and A.J. Pierzynski homered Friday night as the Chicago White Sox ended Justin Verlander’s seven-game winning streak and beat the Detroit Tigers 5-0.

Contreras (11-4) didn’t give up a hit until Curtis Granderson doubled with two outs in the sixth in the opener of a three-game series between the team with the best record in baseball and the defending World Series champions.

The White Sox cut Detroit’s lead in the AL Central to 71/2 games and sent the Tigers to their third straight loss.

Contreras struck out five and walked one. Carlos Guillen and Sean Casey singled for Detroit’s other hits.

Verlander (14-5) failed in his bid to become the majors’ first 15-game winner and lost for the first time since Chicago beat him June 7.

The hard-throwing rookie was 7-0 in his previous nine starts, but was rocked for a season-high 13 hits in just five innings and fell to 0-3 this season against the White Sox.

Thome’s 35th homer came in the fifth and followed a single by Tadihito Iguchi, putting Chicago ahead up 3-0. One out later, Jermaine Dye singled and Pierzynski sent his 10th homer into the seats in right.

Verlander’s errant pickoff throw in the third allowed Scott Podsednik, who had singled, to move all the way to third. Iguchi had an RBI grounder.

Alex Cintron doubled with two outs in the fourth but was cut down at the plate on left fielder Craig Monroe’s strong throw to Ivan Rodriguez following Brian Anderson’s single.

Notes: Thome’s 35 homers are the most by a left-handed hitter in White Sox history. He had been tied with Robin Ventura, who hit 34 in 1996. .. Thome’s homer was the 465th of his career, tying him with Hall of Famer David Winfield for 27th place all-time. … Verlander’s previous high in hits allowed was nine. … White Sox SS Juan Uribe missed his sixth straight game because of a stiff back. … The White Sox have won seven of 10 against Detroit this season. … Contreras is 8-3 in his career against the Tigers, including 3-1 this season.

AP-ES-08-11-06 2249EDT