Carpenter homers twice, Flaherty wins in Detroit return, Tigers beat White Sox 7-4 in home opener

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Detroit Tigers’ Kerry Carpenter celebrates his home run as he rounds the bases against the Chicago White Sox in the fourth inning during a baseball game, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Detroit Tigers’ Riley Greene hits a home run against the Chicago White Sox in the sixth inning during a baseball game, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Detroit Tigers’ Riley Greene, right, slides safely into second base for a double as Chicago White Sox second baseman Lenyn Sosa (50) applies a late tag as second base umpire Mark Ripperger looks on in the fourth inning during a baseball game, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Detroit Tigers shortstop Zach McKinstry hits a one-run single against the Chicago White Sox in the third inning during a baseball game, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Detroit Tigers pitcher Tyler Holton throws against the Chicago White Sox in the sixth inning during a baseball game, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Chicago White Sox pitcher Brandon Eisert throws against the Detroit Tigers in the fourth inning during a baseball game, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Chicago White Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi (23) can’t reach a Detroit Tigers’ Kerry Carpenter home run in the fourth inning during a baseball game, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Detroit Tigers first base Spencer Torkelson tumbles over after scoring at home plate against the Chicago White Sox in the third inning during a baseball game, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Detroit Tigers’ Spencer Torkelson slides safely into home plate against the Chicago White Sox in the third inning during a baseball game, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch questions a call against the Chicago White Sox in the third inning during a baseball game, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Chicago White Sox manager Will Venable, left, talks with first base umpire Vic Carapazza, right, in the third inning during a baseball game, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Detroit Tigers’ Riley Greene celebrates his home run as he rounds the bases against the Chicago White Sox in the sixth inning during a baseball game, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Chicago White Sox’s Miguel Vargas (20) reacts to his double against the Detroit Tigers in the first inning during a baseball game, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Chicago White Sox pitcher Bryse Wilson throws against the Detroit Tigers in the sixth inning during a baseball game, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Detroit Tigers’ Riley Greene scores as Chicago White Sox catcher Matt Thaiss receives the throw in the fourth inning during a baseball game, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

By DANA GAURUDER

DETROIT (AP) — Kerry Carpenter hit a pair of solo home runs and the Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago White Sox 7-4 Friday for their 14th win in their last 17 home openers.

Carpenter’s third career multihomer game backed Jack Flaherty (1-0), who allowed one run and three hits while striking out seven over 5 2/3 innings in his first Comerica Park start since July 16. He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 30, then returned to the Tigers as a free agent for a $35 million, two-year contract.

Riley Greene had three hits, including a solo homer. Greene’s sixth-inning homer had an exit velocity of 114.3 mph, the second hardest-hit ball of his big league career.

Zach McKinstry, Trey Sweeney, Spencer Torkelson and Dillon Dingler also drove in runs before a crowd of 44,735.

Chicago lost its third straight and dropped to 2-5, a year after losing a post-1900-record 121 games.

Brooks Baldwin drove in two runs for the White Sox, who scored three runs inthe ninth innings.

Chicago starter Jonathan Cannon (0-1) gave up three runs, three hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings.

Key moment

White Sox manager Will Venable replaced Cannon, who threw 88 pitches, with left-hander Brandon Eisert with two out and no one on in the fourth. Eisert gave up Carpenter’s second homer, a Riley Greene double and Torkelson’s RBI single as Detroit’s lead grew to 5-1.

Not PARSE.LY: Jack Flaherty

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Key stat

Carpenter was Detroit’s first player with multiple homers in the home opener since Prince Fielder hit a pair against the New York Yankees on April 5, 2013.

Up next

White Sox RHP Davis Martin (0-0), who held the Los Angeles Angels to two unearned runs in his season debut last weekend, will start Saturday along with Tigers RHP Reese Olson (0-1).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb