White Sox, Tigers Fight to the Finish

Even though it was a rout, score this one a split decision.

In a fight-filled game that featured 11 ejections and Chicago reliever Keith Foulke leaving because of a bloody cut under his left eye, the White Sox got five hits and five runs batted in from Chris Singleton as they handed the Detroit Tigers their sixth consecutive loss, 14-6, Saturday at Chicago.

“Bottom line is, we won the game and we killed them,” said Chicago pitcher Jim Parque, who was charged by Dean Palmer in the seventh inning to start the fighting. “I hope they have enough guys so we can beat them again.”

Five Tigers were ejected: Doug Brocail, Palmer, Jeff Weaver, Rob Fick and Danny Patterson. The White Sox lost six: Manager Jerry Manuel, coach Joe Nossek, Bobby Howry, Bill Simas, Tanyon Sturtze and Magglio Ordonez.

Foulke needed five stitches under his left eye after the game.

“The brawl was nothing fun, especially with people like the jerk behind me,” said Foulke, who was attacked from behind and planned to watch the video to find the culprit.

Said Simas: “We know it was [Karim] Garcia and [Bobby] Higginson.”

In the sixth inning, Weaver hit Carlos Lee with a pitch. Lee yelled at Weaver as he walked to first. Weaver was then replaced.

In the seventh, Parque hit Palmer in the arm with the first pitch. Palmer immediately rushed the mound and threw his batting helmet at the pitcher. The benches emptied. Weaver was ejected for his part in the fighting.

“Yeah, it was deliberate,” Palmer said. “That’s the way baseball is. You’ve got a rugby scrum, then you’ve got the cheap shotters.”

Crew chief Jerry Crawford said Ordonez was ejected for kicking.

Fick was seen taunting fans in the visitors’ bullpen, and fans doused him with beer.

Parque was not ejected, Crawford said, because he stayed on the mound.

Sturtze was ejected after he hit Deivi Cruz in the ninth.

Manuel also was ejected, though the benches stayed calm for the moment.

Later in the inning, Howry hit Halter. Brocail led the charge from the dugout and the brawl lasted about five minutes.