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STL@DET: Jacob Turner makes his 2012 debut

When the Tigers and White Sox take the field on Sunday for the finale of their weekend series at Comerica Park, the ultimate fate of the American League Central doesn't hang in the balance. But it is an early pivot point in the race.

The Tigers had been stalking the White Sox for weeks before Saturday's 7-1 victory put the defending division champions back on top of the AL Central by a half-game, giving Detroit its first division lead since May 1 while dropping the White Sox out of the top spot for the first time since June 23.

Which team holds the AL Central lead from here could change as soon as Sunday, but both teams would have to snap recent trends in order for that to happen. It'll be Philip Humber on the mound for the White Sox against Tigers rookie Jacob Turner trying to pitch the Tigers to a three-game sweep.

The Tigers' trend is that they have been on a major roll, especially at home. They've now won 12 of 14 overall, 10 of their last 11 at Comerica Park and -- perhaps most important at the moment -- 14 of the last 18 played in Detroit against the White Sox.

"I think we're just being more consistent, playing better baseball, playing the way we were supposed to play," Tigers ace Justin Verlander said after he led off the series with a win on Friday night. "Nobody was freaking out before. We were just waiting for things to start clicking. We're starting to play like the team everybody expected us to be."

The White Sox, meanwhile, have had a rough go of it since the All-Star break, going 3-6, all games coming on the road. Chris Sale giving up five earned runs didn't help on Saturday, but the White Sox offense couldn't get untracked, either, in defeat.

Chicago is now hitting .205 (52-for-254) with four homers and 18 runs scored (2.3 per game) over its last eight games.

"Right before the break, we were swinging it fairly well, and eventually it will get back to that," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "We haven't really clicked back in since the break, as far as the way they were swinging it before."

The White Sox will be matched against a rookie making his third career start. Turner won his season debut in June but was then roughed up for seven earned runs over two innings against the Angels in his second outing of the year, on Tuesday.

In Humber, Chicago will start the one winning pitcher it has had in its last six games. The perfecto pitcher returned from a right flexor strain to beat the Red Sox with six solid innings his last time out.

White sox: Myers domino effect
• By adding Brett Myers to their bullpen via Saturday's trade with Houston, the White Sox know they've added an experienced arm and the mentality they're seeking from their relievers. They also added a veteran who notched 19 saves in 21 opportunities and 35 appearances overall with the Astros this season.

But Myers -- initially, at least -- won't supplant rookie Addison Reed (15-for-18 in save situations) as Chicago's closer.

"This is in no way a sign that anyone is wavering on Addison Reed and our confidence in him," said general manager Kenny Williams. "Ultimately, the ninth inning is [Ventura's] call. [Myers] is known as a competitor. He'll fit along well in what we're trying to accomplish."

• Right-hander Gavin Floyd, out with right elbow tendinitis, is set to return from the DL on Monday night against the Twins, and with Jesse Crain returning to the bullpen on Saturday, the White Sox are starting to get healthy again.

"We are kind of getting ourselves closer to being back to normal, [in terms] of who we had when we left Spring Training," Ventura said.

Tigers: Miggy fine after scare
• After he'd grabbed his right ankle and walked it off in the eighth inning of Friday night's win, Miguel Cabrera sparked some concern over whether he would be OK to play on Saturday.

The answer came when manager Jim Leyland wrote Cabrera's name in the starting lineup, and at third base instead of designated hitter.

"He's fine," Leyland said. "I'm not really sure what he did. He just twisted it a little bit or something. But he's fine."

On Saturday, Cabrera went 1-for-3 with a walk, matching his season high by extending his hitting streak to five games. He remains two homers shy of 300 for his career.

• Leyland knew that Phil Coke would get a little extra time to rest up on Saturday if the Tigers needed him, since he's a late-innings reliever. But with a hefty lead and Rick Porcello pitching eight-plus innings, Coke got another day to rest up from what has already been an eventful weekend.

After celebrating his 30th birthday on Friday, Coke and his wife, Bobbie, celebrated the birth of their first child, a girl, in the wee hours of Saturday morning.

Worth noting
• The Tigers now lead the 18-game season series, 6-4. The two teams will meet next for three games on Aug. 31, again in Detroit.

• Following Sunday's game, the Tigers will head to Cleveland for three games against another AL Central contender, starting on Tuesday. The White Sox, meanwhile, will finally go home for the first time since before the All-Star break, hosting the Twins on Monday -- although three games later, they'll be back out on the road for seven more games.

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