• The Detroit Tigers lost to the Chicago White Sox, 8-1, on Tuesday, June 3.
• The loss was the Tigers’ first to the White Sox in Chicago since June 4, 2023.
• Catcher Dillon Dingler drove in the Tigers’ only run on a single in the seventh inning.

CHICAGO — The Detroit Tigers have made a habit of late-game comebacks for the past two seasons. So often, just when they seem out of it, they find a way to claw back.

It felt like that might happen again — especially with runners on base in seven of the first eight innings — but this time, there wasn’t a comeback to celebrate.

The Tigers lost, 8-1, to the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, June 3, in the second of four games at Rate Field, as the White Sox — not the Tigers — delivered the big inning to shift the momentum, scoring three runs in the sixth on a home run.

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That’s how the Tigers (40-22) lost to the White Sox in Chicago for the first time since June 4, 2023, snapping a winning streak of 11 games over 730 days.

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In the sixth, Michael A. Taylor — a 12-year MLB veteran who signed with the White Sox for $1.95 million — hit a three-run home run off left-handed reliever Tyler Holton’s changeup. Before the homer, Holton allowed singles to Austin Slater and Edgar Quero.

The Taylor homer put the White Sox ahead, 4-0.

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Holton — one of MLB’s best relievers in the past two years — has an uncharacteristic 4.39 ERA in 25 games this season, a regression from his 2.11 ERA across 59 games in 2023 and his 2.19 ERA across 66 games in 2024.

Taylor is hitting .206 with three homers in 52 games.

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Bullpen-only game

The Tigers deployed a bullpen-only game for Tuesday’s matchup, using six of their nine relievers.

Right-hander Brenan Hanifee inherited a runner on first base with one out in the fourth inning, replacing lefty Brant Hurter. He immediately put himself in a jam when he fielded a comebacker and threw the ball wide of second while trying to start a double play, putting runners at first and second base.

With two outs, Hanifee crumbed when he issued back-to-back walks. He missed the strike zone of four of five pitches to Taylor with the bases loaded, walking in a run to give White Sox a 1-0 lead.

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In the seventh, the White Sox extended their lead to 6-1 with two runs off right-hander Dylan Smith. The two runs were driven in by Slater, who doubled off Smith’s fastball. It was the second MLB appearance of Smith’s career, occurring in back-to-back games against the White Sox.

The White Sox made it 8-1 with RBI singles from Mike Tauchman and Chase Meidroth in the eighth inning.

Missed opportunities

The Tigers scored one run in the seventh inning.

They were facing right-handed reliever Jordan Leasure.

Wenceel Pérez reached safely with a leadoff single, then scored on Dillon Dingler’s double to the left-field corner. The Dingler double trimmed the Tigers’ deficit to 4-1.

The Tigers had at least one runner on base in all but the fifth and ninth innings, finishing with seven hits and five walks. They loaded the bases with one out in the eighth inning, but Pérez’s strikeout and Dingler’s lineout stranded everyone.

For the White Sox, right-hander Shane Smith tossed 5⅓ scoreless innings on three hits and two walks with six strikeouts, throwing 85 pitches.

Smith has a 2.45 ERA in 12 starts.

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Detroit officials are investigating what sparked a fire that burned through a historic, century-old church building for more than four hours Tuesday.

The Detroit Fire Department received a call at 12:34 a.m. about a blaze at the site of the former St. Agnes Catholic Church, at the corner of Rosa Parks and LaSalle Gardens, said Corey McIsaac, the DFD director of media relations.

Within four minutes, the department was at the scene and Fire Chief David Nelson called a second alarm, activating more crews, McIsaac said.

While they managed to preserve the “structural integrity” of the vacant building, she added, its old rectory next door was rendered a total loss.

Due to the condition of the building, firefighters were not able to get inside, McIsaac said. “They did an awesome job, and due to their hard work and great work, they were able to preserve the structure of the church building.”

There were no injuries to residents or firefighters Tuesday night, according to the department.

The St. Agnes Catholic Church has long been considered a community landmark, drawing figures such as Mother Teresa, who visited the building twice, once in June 1979 and once June 1981, and established a convent for the Missionaries of Charity Sisters at 1969 LaSalle Gardens, according to the Archdiocese of Detroit.

The St. Agnes Parish was established in 1913 by Bishop John Foley and the spot celebrated its first Mass in 1914 in a frame house a few blocks away from the current site. Construction on the 1,500-seat site designed by the firm Van Leyen, Schilling, Keough & Reynolds started in May 1922, according to the archdiocese.

The church was blessed in June 1924 in a ceremony led by Bishop Michael J. Gallagher. St. Agnes Parish was closed in 1989 and the Martyrs of Uganda Parish was established at the site that year, the AOD said.

The Martyrs of Uganda Parish was closed in 2006, and the property was sold in 2009.

Holly Fournier, the AOD’s media and public relations manager, told The Detroit News: “The Archdiocese of Detroit has had no connection to the property since then and has no information about current ownership or plans for the site.”

In 2022, the Detroit City Planning Commission approved a recommendation to the City Council to approve a rezoning request to redevelop the 5-acre site, according to Historic Detroit.

afayad@detroitnews.com