CHICAGO _ Reynaldo Lopez finished an inconsistent season on a positive note.
The right-hander allowed one run on five hits in eight-plus innings Saturday, leading the White Sox to a 7-1 victory against the Tigers in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Lopez struck out nine and walked one to win for the first time since he tossed a one-hitter against the Indians on Sept. 5. He exited Saturday's game after allowing a single to Victor Reyes leading off the ninth. He tipped his hat to the crowd as he walked off the field.
Lopez (10-15) had lost his previous three starts. Miguel Cabrera homered off of Lopez with two outs in the first.
Danny Mendick and Eloy Jimenez hit home runs as the Sox won their third straight.
The Sox took the lead with two runs in the third and added two in the fourth. Mendick, who turned 26 on Saturday, hit a two-run home run in the sixth to give the Sox a 6-1 lead.
Mendick played shortstop in place of Tim Anderson, who sat out Game 1. Anderson, who leads the American League with a .338 average, was in the lineup for Game 2.
Jimenez hit a solo home run in the seventh, his 31st.
Yoan Moncada, Adam Engel and Yolmer Sanchez all had two hits for the Sox. Sanchez had an RBI double and scored twice.
