CHICAGO — Talk about seizing the day.
Eric Haase has grabbed on to his first real chance to play regularly in the major leagues with an iron grip and he’s showing no inclination to let it go.
Haase popped two more home runs Saturday, supporting a powerful five-inning performance by lefty Tarik Skubal and helping the Detroit Tigers stop at four-game losing streak with a victory over the Chicago White Sox, 4-3, at Guaranteed Rate Field.
It was the Tigers' second win over the White Sox in the last 15 games.
Haase started the season as a non-roster, fourth catcher at Triple-A Toledo. His contract was purchased on May 12 and all he’s done in 18 games is slug seven home runs and knock in 11 runs. Friday was his third multi-homer game in 19 days.
Both his home runs Saturday came against off-speed pitches from White Sox starter Lucas Giolito. Haase hit a 1-2 change-up 427 feet deep into the seats in left field in the second. He hit a slider down the line and out to left field leading off the fourth.
Haase is the second Tigers rookie since 1947 with three multi-homer games, joining Matt Nokes, who did it in 1987.
Miguel Cabrera added a critical solo home run, a 410-footer, leading off the sixth inning. That was No. 492 for him as he closes in on 500.
The rest of the story was Skubal. The rookie left-hander bullied his way through a right-handed heavy White Sox lineup, posting a career-high 11 strikeouts in just five innings. He induced 20 swings and misses on 54 swings and got 17 called strikes.
Skubal’s four-seam fastball ranged in velocity from 92-98 mph and he effectively mixed his slider, two-seamer and change-up.
The 11 strikeouts ties the franchise record for most in a game for a rookie since 1969. Skubal joins Michael Fulmer (2016), Pat Underwood (1979) and Jack Morris (1977).
He came in with the third-most strikeouts among rookie American League pitchers. It was his fourth straight game with at least eight strikeouts and he’s punched out 37 in his last 21 innings over three starts.
According to Elias Sports, Skubal is one of five major league rookies since 2010 to have four consecutive games of eight or more strikeouts. The others: Noah Syndergaard, Mets (2015); Jose Fernandez, Marlins (2013); Yu Darvish, Rangers (2012, twice); and Stephen Strasburg, Nationals (2010).
In Tigers’ history, he joins Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Morris, Hal Newhouser, Mickey Lolich, Denny McLain, Matthew Boyd, Anibal Sanchez and Les Cain.
Not too shabby.
But, with the strikeouts and three walks, his pitch count was at 103 after he struck out Yoan Moncada on three pitches and got Jose Abreu to pop to shallow center, ending the fifth and stranding two runners.
Things immediately got dicey for the Tigers after that.
The White Sox jumped on lefty Derek Holland in the sixth, scoring two fast runs on a single and back-to-back doubles by Andrew Vaughn and Jake Lamb.
The White Sox did him and the Tigers a favor, though. After a walk put runners at first and second, manager Tony La Russa had Danny Medick try to sacrifice. First baseman Jonathan Scoop fielded the bunt and threw a dart to third base to get the lead runner.
Kyle Funkhouser, who gave up five runs (two earned) Friday night, got Tim Anderson and Nick Madrigal to end the inning and preserve the 4-3 lead.
Funkhouser struck out Abreu and Yasmani Grandal in a scoreless seventh, with catcher Jake Rogers throwing out Moncada trying to steal for the final out.
Lefty Gregory Soto pitched a clean eighth inning, striking out two and then winning a nine-pitch battle with pinch-hitter Yermin Mercedes, who delivered the walk-off hit Friday night. After five straight foul balls, Soto got him to fly out to the track in left.
That left the ninth to right-hander Jose Cisnero, who threw 23 pitches Friday night and gave up the walk-off single to Mercedes.
Cisnero didn't falter this time. He dispatched pinch-hitter Adam Eaton (strikeout), Anderson (ground out) and Madrigal (line out to second).
