White Sox winning streak ends at seven

DETROIT -- Nate Robertson was satisfied with his solid performance against the Chicago White Sox.

Robertson gave up three runs in six-plus innings, and Miguel Cabrera’s go-ahead, two-run single in the fifth inning helped the Detroit Tigers end the White Sox’s seven-game winning streak with a 6-4 victory Tuesday night.

“It always comes down to one at-bat in my outings,” Robertson said. “Tonight, in critical situations, I got a couple of outs.”

Chicago’s A.J. Pierzynski said the key to Robertson’s success was simple.

“He made his pitches, got us behind in the counts and made us swing,” Pierzynski said.

Robertson (4-6) scattered eight hits in 6 1/3 innings. Todd Jones pitched a scoreless ninth for his 11th save in as many chances.

Trailing, 2-1, the Tigers scored three times in the fifth off Jose Contreras (6-4) to take a lead they wouldn’t give up. Brent Clevlen, Curtis Granderson and Placido Polanco hit consecutive singles to start the inning, and Clevlen scored on center fielder Nick Swisher’s error.

Two outs later, Cabrera singled to center to drive in Granderson and Polanco. Cabrera was batting only .226 in the previous 14 games. “He’s a very important part of this team,” Polanco said of Cabrera. “To see him swinging the bat the way he is is a good sign.”

Clevlen’s RBI single in the sixth made it 5-2, and Magglio Ordonez added a run-scoring infield single in the seventh.

“We were just one hit away from winning this game,” White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen said.