Tigers 8, White Sox 6: Prince Fielder broke out of a slump with a towering three-run homer to back six solid innings from Max Scherzer as visiting Detroit closed within a game of Chicago atop the American League Central.

Scherzer (16-6) was not at his sharpest, but he won his sixth consecutive decision by limiting the White Sox to one run on four hits. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter to boost his major league-leading strikeout total to 220.

Fielder provided Detroit with some breathing room in the seventh, crushing a breaking ball off Leyson Septimo to snap an 0-for-18 skid at the plate and make it 6-1.

Austin Jackson had three hits and drove in two runs and Miguel Cabrera added three hits and an RBI as the Tigers beat the White Sox for the ninth time in 10 meetings and improved to 12-5 against them this season entering Thursday's series finale.

Kevin Youkilis hit two homers, including a three-run blast in the eighth that cut the deficit to 8-5 for the White Sox. Chicago added a run in the ninth and had the tying run at the plate before closer Jose Valverde struck out Orlando Hudson to secure his 30th save.

Gavin Floyd (9-10) came off the disabled list to make the start for the White Sox and ran out of steam in the fifth, yielding RBI singles by Jackson and Cabrera. He allowed three runs on four hits and struck out seven in 4 2/3 innings.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Scherzer is 6-0 and has allowed seven runs in his last seven starts. ... Youkilis' homers were the 34th and 35th in the last 18 games for the White Sox. ... Fielder needs four homers to reach 30 for the sixth straight season and is within two RBIs shy of notching 100 for the fifth time. ... White Sox DH Adam Dunn sat out his sixth straight game with a strained right oblique. He will try to swing again Thursday. ... Valverde reached 30 saves for the fourth time in his career.