"As they surge up the American League Central standings, the Tigers will need their stars to carry them.

On Saturday, Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera showed why they're the big-money men.

Verlander threw eight strong innings and Cabrera broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the ninth inning with a two-run homer to secure a 4-2 win over the Chicago White Sox.

Since throwing his second career no-hitter earlier this year, Verlander's starts have become intriguing from the opening pitch.

On Saturday, he provided an ace-worthy performance early on, rolling through the first four innings.

The hiccup came in the fifth when Verlander took Brent Lillibridge's hit off his knee and made a bad throw to first. Two batters later, he surrendered a two-run homer to Gordon Beckham, tying the game at 2.

It wasn't enough to rattle him, though. He handled the next two innings smoothly, settling down before the White Sox made an eighth-inning push -- runners at first and second. Verlander shut it down in the inning's dramatic moments, striking out Carlos Quentin and throwing out A.J. Pierzynski at first."