DETROIT (AP) -- After bolting to the AL's best record by pounding the opposition's pitchers, the Chicago White Sox have shown that they can win close, low-scoring games, too.

Cal Eldred allowed four hits in seven innings as the White Sox won for the 10th time in 11 games, beating the Detroit Tigers 2-1 Saturday.

The White Sox (17-7) have won five straight from Detroit the past two weekends. Last week at Comiskey Park, they swept a three-game series by a combined score of 30-12.

But their two wins in Detroit's new Comerica Park have come by 3-2 and 2-1 scores.

"We're going to have to win quite a few of these games if we want to at least be in contention later in the year," Eldred said. "I think a little reality set in that eight or nine runs aren't going to be on the board every night, even though this offense is capable of that."

Eldred (2-0), who pitched a two-hitter to beat Baltimore 8-2 in his last start, allowed three walks and struck out one in seven innings.

"I've kind of found an arm angle that I used to use in the past," Eldred said. "If I can stay with it, things seem to go pretty good."

Eldred got all the support he needed in the fifth inning when Greg Norton and Jose Valentin hit RBI doubles off Dave Mlicki (0-5) to give Chicago a 2-1 lead.

"We only scored two runs, and to get a win with two runs is unbelievable," said Jeff Abbott, who also doubled in the fifth. "I credit the pitching today. We just gave (Eldred) barely enough and he did what he had to do."

Keith Foulke got four outs for his fourth save.

Saturday's game, one week after the teams had two bench-clearing brawls at Comiskey Park, was incident-free. Managers Jerry Manuel of Chicago and Phil Garner of Detroit along with two players from each team served the second games of suspensions stemming from the brawls.

The Tigers fell to a major league-worst 5-17 with their 11th loss in 12 games.

"With the talent in this room it's unbelievable," Mlicki said. "But we're 5-17 or whatever we are and that's what we have to deal with. We have to find a way to turn it around somehow."

Mlicki remained winless despite his strongest outing of the season. He allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings.

"I definitely felt better, but it's still a loss. That's what hurts," Mlicki said. "No matter how well you do or how poorly you do, a loss is a loss. It's hard to swallow for everybody right now."

The White Sox used three doubles to score twice in the fifth. Back-to-back doubles from Abbott and Norton scored the first run, then Valentin put Chicago ahead with an RBI double.

Bobby Higginson hit a leadoff double in the second and scored on a sacrifice fly from Brad Ausmus, putting the Tigers up 1-0.

It marked the first time Mlicki pitched with a lead in five starts this season.

Comerica Park's cavernous dimensions once again hurt the home team.

Chicago center fielder Chris Singleton robbed Higginson of at least a double with a fine running catch at the base of the wall in right-center to start the sixth.

"Higgy hit that ball as well as he could," Tigers interim manager Bob Melvin said. "But we have to play here 81 times. It's something we have to deal with."

Right fielder Magglio Ordonez went to the warning track in right-center to haul in Rob Fick's drive with one on in the ninth, effectively halting the Tigers' last threat.

"We're not getting any breaks anywhere," Melvin said. "But we're not making any breaks, either."

Game notes
Higginson, playing left-field, made a diving catch of Abbott's bid for a bloop single in the seventh. ... Tony Clark, batting just .115, did not start for Detroit. Clark entered Saturday in an 0-for-19 slump and has just three hits with 17 strikeouts in his last 47 at-bats. ... Juan Encarnacion's first-inning single for Detroit extended his hitting streak to 11 games. ... Ordonez had an infield single in the ninth to end an 0-for-11 slump.