DETROIT >> There were two outs and nobody on in the fourth inning when White Sox manager Will Venable decided to take a chance on maybe getting Kerry Carpenter out of the game.

The Tigers were up 3-1 and had already worked White Sox starter Jonathan Cannon for 88 pitches. Carpenter had slugged a home run off the right field foul pole in the first inning. So, Venable decided to bring in lefty Brandon Eisert and maybe, he hoped, manager AJ Hinch would do what he’s often done — summon right-handed hitting Andy Ibanez to pinch-hit for Carpenter.

Nope.

Carpenter slammed a 1-0 slider into the wind, to the opposite-field, depositing the pitch into the Tigers’ bullpen and the Tigers were on their way to a 7-4 victory over the White Sox Friday before home-opener sellout (44,735) at Comerica Park.

“We pushed them to a fourth-inning decision, that in itself is an advantage,” Hinch said. “Because we’ve got a lot of game left. Two outs and nobody on is not going to get Kerry Carpenter out. So if there are other managers watching, that’s not the spot to chase him out.”

The two home runs by Carpenter and a 417-foot bomb to the back of the right field seats by Riley Greene backed another smooth start by Jack Flaherty and systematic win by the Tigers.

“That was a big blessing today,” Carpenter said. “To do that in front of this crowd was such a big moment and such a cool thing for the city with this being the home opener. I really enjoyed that one.”

Greene also singled and doubled in the game and the home run was scorched. He barreled a 3-1 cutter from reliever Bryse Wilson and the ball left his bat with an exit velocity of 114.3 mph. That was the third hardest-hit home run by a Tiger in the Statcast era.

“We did a lot of really good things,” Hinch said. “We’re not going to be perfect, but I loved how we came into the game again, seeing 75 pitches through three innings. Some really good at-bats and we needed a big hit and we got a few today.”

The Tigers exerted pressure on the White Sox defense with some aggressive base running, too, specifically exploiting the subpar throwing arms of the White Sox corner outfielders.

“Yeah, it was nice to see our guys run the bases aggressively,” Hinch said.

In the third inning, Cannon set the table by hitting Spencer Torkelson and walking Colt Keith. Zach McKinstry ripped a hard single to right field, where Travis Jankowski fielded the ball just as Torkelson was rounding third base.

Third base coach Joey Cora never stopped waving his arm. Jankowski’s throw was up the line and took a high bounce, allowing Torkelson to score.

Keith scored on a ground out by Dillon Dingler.

“We know Joey is going to send us,” Torkelson said. “I don’t think there’s a lot of (outfielders) in the league we don’t want to challenge.”

In the fourth, it was Torkelson’s turn to make Greene run. Greene doubled following Carpenter’s second home run and Torkelson dropped a single into short left field.

Greene challenged the arm of left fielder Andrew Benintendi and won easily.

It was suggested to Hinch that Torkelson and Greene aren’t considered catalysis of the Tigers’ running game, but he politely disagreed.

“I think it is Tork and Riley, I think it goes up and down our roster,” he said. “Tork is our best dirt-ball read (meaning he has good instincts on balls in the dirt). These guys know everything matters. Leads off first base gets you first-to-third and trail runners get to second on throws, like McKinstry did.

“Decisions you make to advance are important and decisions you make not to advance are important. To a man on our team we know the right thing to do. Everything matters and our guys are locked in to trying to do everything right.”

Flaherty beat the White Sox in his first start as a Tiger last season and, after a brief detour to a World Series championship with the Dodgers — there he was again, this time facing the White Sox in the home opener.

“It was great to be back here,” said Flaherty, who allowed three hits and run with seven strikeouts in 5.2 innings. “These (fans) showed up and it was awesome. Gave some goosebumps with the pre-game intros. It was great to be back on this side.”

He had to make a couple of early adjustments. One was the fact that there was no longer the keyhole strip of dirt running from the mound to the plate.

“Definitely a different sightline,” he said. “They took the strip away and with the (Home Plate Club) seats behind there. It took a little to get used to that last year and now it felt a little naked without it.”

The other adjustment was to the elements. It was 50 degrees at game time with a steady breeze blowing in from left. The Tigers three long innings also forced him to sit and chill for long stretches between innings.

“It wasn’t too bad,” he said. “The balls were OK. But I felt like I got more in sync as the game went on. Maybe not my typical velocity that I had throughout the spring and in my first start this year, but you work with what you got.”

His fastball velo, normally 93.6, averaged 92. And he seemed to have some issues early griping his knuckle-curve.

“Really glad my slider was good today,” he said.

He gave up a double in each of the first two innings, the second, by Brooks Baldwin, plated the only run Flaherty allowed. He had walked catcher Matt Thaiss ahead of Baldwin, with two out and after he’d gotten ahead 0-2.

“Outside of that, I was happy with all of it,” Flaherty said. “I was able to make some pitches when I needed to.”

From that point on until he left to a standing ovation with two outs in the sixth, Flaherty allowed one single and one walk.

“His adjustments and ability to hang in there in a disrupted game was key,” Hinch said.

The White Sox scored three runs in the ninth off reliever Kenta Maeda, aided by a misplayed line drive in center field by Ryan Kreidler. He came in on a liner by Korey Lee and it sailed over his head for a double.

“Never be mad after a win,” Hinch said. “No one is allowed to be mad after a win, so I won’t be.”

The Tigers have won 14 of their last 17 home openers and are 17-9 since Comerica Park opened in 2000.

“Just driving to the stadium today, it felt like a holiday,” Carpenter said. “It was awesome. It rivaled the playoff atmosphere and makes us want to get playoff baseball back to Detroit again this year.”