Detroit Tigers unable to come up with big hit — again — in 5-1 loss to White Sox

The Detroit Tigers lost for the fourth time in the past five games, and for the 37th time in 61 games this season.

Facing the Chicago White Sox, the Tigers' offense — worst in baseball — once again failed to capitalize on scoring opportunities in Tuesday's 5-1 loss in the second of three games at Comerica Park.

Although the Tigers (24-37) notched nine hits, the team finished 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and struck out 14 times. The White Sox, an American League Central rival, went 5-for-12 in those situations and struck out four times.

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The Tigers scored their first run in the first inning, though they failed to score more than once where they could've pounced on White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease.

In the first, the Tigers loaded the bases for Javier Báez with one out after singles from Victor Reyes and Harold Castro and a walk from Austin Meadows.

Báez worked a full count but struck out swinging on a 97 mph fastball down the middle of the strike zone. He stranded runners on the corners in the sixth inning when he lined out to left field.

With two outs, Cease committed a bases-loaded throwing error on a pickoff attempt at second base. As the ball rolled into the outfield, Reyes scored easily to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.

That one-run lead didn't last long.

Entering Tuesday's game, Cease had a career 2.08 ERA in 10 starts against the Tigers. This time, he allowed one unearned run on seven hits and one walk with eight strikeouts in five innings, throwing 108 pitches.

Báez finished 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. He is batting .188 with three home runs in 50 games this season.  Reyes (.361 in 14 games) and Castro (.308 in 41 games) each finished with three hits in four at-bats. Austin Meadows, Jonathan Schoop and Tucker Barnhart recorded the team's other two hits.

Spot duty for Drew Hutchinson

Right-hander Drew Hutchison, added to the 40-man and 26-man rosters Monday, completed four innings, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks with one strikeout.

He nearly imploded in the first inning.

The White Sox loaded the bases with two outs on a single and a pair of walks, but Hutchison escaped the jam by striking out Leury Garcia with an elevated 93.7 mph fastball.

In the second inning, the White Sox tagged Hutchison for two runs and a 2-1 advantage. He allowed four straight two-out singles to Danny Mendick, AJ Pollock, Andrew Vaughn and Luis Robert.

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The singles from Vaughn and Robert scored runs.

Pitching coach Chris Fetter visited Hutchison for a mound visit with slugger Jose Abreu stepping to the plate. The White Sox had runners on first and second base, and Hutchison couldn't afford a mistake. Abreu lined out to center field on a second-pitch slider to end the top of the second inning.

Hutchison threw 25 pitches in the first inning and 21 pitches in the second before settling in. He retired the final seven batters he faced and needed seven pitches in the third and nine pitches in the fourth.

For his 62 pitches (45 strikes), Hutchison tossed 22 sliders (35%), 21 four-seam fastballs (34%), 10 sinkers (16%) and nine changeups (15%). He generated seven swings and misses, including three with his slider, and 10 called strikes.

Tyler Alexander and the 'pen

Had it not been for Hutchison's turnaround, the Tigers would've been in pitching trouble early on. Instead, Hutchison took the staff through the fourth inning before right-hander Wily Peralta took over for the fifth.

The White Sox scored two runs against Peralta, as Yoan Moncada hit an RBI double and Garcia produced a sacrifice fly. Those swings doubled Chicago's run total for a 4-1 margin.

For the first time since April 29, left-hander Tyler Alexander stepped on the mound for the Tigers. He was activated from the injured list Monday and completed two innings.

Like Hutchison's second inning, the White Sox created trouble for Alexander with two outs in the sixth. They racked up three straight two-out hits, with Robert's RBI single making it 5-1.

Alexander retired all three batters in the seventh inning.

Right-hander Will Vest pitched the eighth, and lefty closer Gregory Soto handled the ninth in a four-run deficit.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold. Read more on the Detroit Tigers and sign up for our Tigers newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers can't get big hits in 5-1 loss to White Sox