But it could have been worse.

The White Sox looked to keep their distance from the Tigers, but it was not meant to be. The Sox lost 8-6 and now have only a one-game lead on Detroit.

Gavin Floyd returned from the disabled list tonight and started off well. He ran into some trouble in the fifth inning. He gave up a hit and a walk to lead off the inning. He was responsible for all three runs scored in the inning, and that put the Tigers up 3-1.

Hector Santiago came on after Floyd was pulled after pitching 4.2 innings. He gave up three hits in two innings of work. He had no earned runs, as the runs that crossed the plate in the fifth inning were credited to Floyd. Brian Omogrosso came on to pitch to Miguel Cabrera. And he was unsuccessful. Cabrera picked up a single, and Omogrosso was pulled for Leyson Septimo.

Septimo faced Prince Fielder in the top of the seventh. With runners at second and third and two outs, Septimo gave up a three-run homer. Dylan Axelrod came out for the eighth and promptly started giving up runs. After Jhonny Peralta hit a single, Axelrod gave up a double to Alex Avila, giving the Tigers a 7-1 lead.

Then he gave up a double to Austin Jackson which scored Avila. More runs for the Tigers. Yet somehow…SOMEHOW!…he got out of the inning without giving up more runs.

The Sox got on the board in the fourth inning when Kevin Youkilis hit a solo homer. They did a whole bunch of nothing until the eighth when they attempted to mount a comeback. Dan Johnson was the DH tonight, he put together a good at-bat in the eighth. He came around to score on an Alejandro De Aza singled that moved Orlando Hudson to third with one out.

Then the Sox started mounting a comeback. Youkilis…Kevin Youkilis…hit another home run. A three-run home run! The Sox are only down 8-5 now. Alas the rally stopped. But Donnie Veal and Brett Myers had an easy 1-2-3 ninth inning, and the Sox were ready to face Jose Valverde in the bottom of the ninth.

Alex Rios singled and moved to second during AJ Pierzynski’s at bat. AJ flew out to center, moving Rios to third. Rios scored on an Alexei Ramirez ground out, and the Sox were down 8-6 with two out. Johnson singled and Ray Olmedo came in to pinch run. It’s up to Hudson. Who was called out on strikes.

Chris Sale faces off against Justin Verlander tomorrow night. It is the last meeting between our two clubs this season, and the Sox need this win in order to maintain their lead. Just like the last series in Detroit, it comes down to Sale vs. Verlander. Let’s hope the outcome is different this time!