Nobody knows better than the Chicago White Sox how well the Detroit Tigers are playing right now.
The Tigers blasted Chicago 14-4 on Monday for their 10th win in a row. The streak began with a sweep of the White Sox during a lopsided three-game series Sept. 3-5 in Detroit. The Tigers outscored Chicago 35-11 in that series, and continued to embarrass their A.L. Central rival with a 14-run, 21-hit explosion on Monday.
"I don't know if there is a hotter team out there right now," said White Sox starter John Danks, who was tagged for eight runs and 11 hits in five innings. "It's embarrassing but at the same time you have to realize how good they're playing."
It's the Tigers' first 10-game streak since they won 11 in a row in September 1968 before going on to win the World Series that year.
Back-to-back homers by Jhonny Peralta and Ryan Raburn in the second inning on Monday got the Tigers rolling after facing a 1-0 deficit. Raburn finished the game with four hits and three RBIs and Peralta added two hits and three RBIs for the Tigers, who reduced their magic number to six in the A.L. Central.
Detroit starter Rick Porcello (14-8) coasted to an easy victory. He allowed three runs on six hits in 6?2/3 innings. He allowed one of Brent Morel's two home runs.
"We got that cushion and he got some balls on the ground and did a good job," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "I think that relaxed him a little bit when we got the
lead and he pitched very well, but he's got to continue working to get the breaking stuff better and the changeup -- more strikes."He was sick, too. He had a temperature last night, he had a fever," Leyland said. "I was really worried about him going into the game, how strong he would be. I'm sure getting the lead helped relax him a little bit, he didn't have to go max effort."
Rays: Tampa Bay stayed hot coming off a weekend series sweep of the Red Sox with a 5-2 win over Baltimore, and so did B.J. Upton. Upton doubled twice and took two walks to set a team mark by reaching base in nine straight plate appearances.
Upton went 4 for 4 with a walk on Sunday against Boston, then reached base four successive times against the Orioles before striking out in the eighth inning.
"I just want to help this team whether it's offensively or defensively, and right now it happens to be on the offensive end," Upton said. "I feel good right now, and I'll just try to feel good as long as I can. The hits are just falling."
Tampa Bay won for the eighth time in nine games to move within three games of idle Boston in the A.L. wild-card race after trailing by nine on Sept. 2.
Ramirez arrested: Former World Series MVP Manny Ramirez was arrested and charged with battery Monday after a domestic dispute at his South Florida home, police said.
Ramirez, 39, and his wife were arguing in their bedroom when he slapped her face, causing her to hit her head on their bed's headboard, according to a police report. She told the deputy she was afraid the situation would escalate and called police. Ramirez denied hitting his wife, according to the report, telling a deputy "he grabbed his wife by the shoulders and when he shrugged her, she hit her head."
Ramirez's wife, Juliana, had red swelling on her face and a small bruise on the back of her head, the police report said. She did not want medical treatment.
Cardinals: Pitcher Chris Carpenter and the team are closing in on a $21 million, two-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The person spoke Monday on condition of anonymity because negotiations are not yet complete. The agreement is likely to be announced this week.
Yankees: Backup catcher Francisco Cervelli is out indefinitely with a concussion.
Cervelli was examined Monday in New York by Dr. Kirk Roberts, a neurologist specializing in concussion syndromes. The catcher was diagnosed with a concussion but MRI results were negative, the Yankees said. Cervelli is resting at home and there is no immediate timetable for his return. All of his baseball-related activities have been suspended, the team said.
With starting catcher Russell Martin still sidelined by a sore right thumb, the A.L. East leaders have been forced to hand the catching duties to a pair of rookies: Jesus Montero and Austin Romine.
Mets: The team's player representative, Josh Thole, hopes to come to an agreement soon with Major League Baseball on a policy that would allow his team to wear emergency service-department caps during games on Sept. 11 every year. Thole called the players' association Monday, a day after the Mets were denied their request to wear caps honoring first responders on the 10th anniversary of the attacks.
The Mets wanted to wear caps honoring police, firefighters and other first responders when they played the Chicago Cubs on Sunday night. They wore the hats for batting practice and the pregame ceremony, but MLB insisted they wear their regular caps during the game.
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