White Sox Power Past Indians, 11-4
CHICAGO (AP) — Avisail Garcia matched a career high with four hits, including a tiebreaking solo homer, and the Chicago White Sox pounded the sloppy Cleveland Indians, 11-4, on Monday night.
Todd Frazier hit his career-best 36th homer and Adam Eaton also went deep as the White Sox improved to 4-3 on their 10-game homestand. Tim Anderson had three of Chicago's 16 hits and Jose Abreu drove in two runs, backing another strong start by Miguel Gonzalez.
Cleveland's lead in the AL Central was trimmed to six games over Detroit, which rallied for a 4-2 victory over Minnesota. The Indians had won eight of their last nine against the White Sox, but Lonnie Chisenhall misplayed two balls in right field and another run scored on a passed ball by Roberto Perez.
Carlos Carrasco lasted just 3 2/3 innings, hours after the Indians announced Danny Salazar could miss the rest of the season with a forearm injury. Carrasco (11-8) allowed four runs and eight hits in his shortest start since he also pitched 3 2/3 innings in a loss to Minnesota on Aug. 2.
Salazar had an MRI in Cleveland and was diagnosed with a mild strain to his flexor musculature. The right-hander, a key part of the Indians' rotation, will be sidelined for three to four weeks, leaving open the possibility he could return in some capacity for the playoffs.
"The one thing we want to do is get him healthy, make sure he knows he's healthy, because that's important," manager Terry Francona said, "and then if it fits somewhere, good. But the biggest thing is to get him healthy."
Rajai Davis hit an RBI double in Cleveland's three-run second, but Chicago pulled away by scoring in each of its eight innings at the plate. Garcia made it 4-3 with a leadoff drive in the fourth for his 11th homer. Eaton drove Zach McAllister's first pitch over the wall in right in the sixth, powering the White Sox to a 7-3 lead with his 13th of the year.
Gonzalez (4-6) settled down nicely after the second and was replaced by Dan Jennings after Carlos Santana's two-out double in the seventh. Jason Kipnis bounced to first to end the inning.
Gonzalez allowed three runs, struck out four and walked two in his second straight win since coming off the disabled list after being sidelined by a strained right groin. He pitched 6 1/3 innings in a 2-0 victory over Detroit last Tuesday.
BURDI BALL
Right-hander Zack Burdi, selected by Chicago with the 26th pick in the June draft, visited the clubhouse, watched batting practice and threw out a ceremonial first pitch. The 21-year-old reliever, a native of nearby Downers Grove, Illinois, jumped from rookie ball to Triple-A Charlotte this summer, finishing with a 3.32 ERA in 26 minor league appearances.
"What I did this summer was special and I think building off that for next year is what my goal is now," he said.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Indians: C Yan Gomes (separated right shoulder) is expected to catch nine innings for Double-A Akron on Tuesday night and then serve as the designated hitter on Wednesday. "Then we'll kind of re-evaluate what's going on after that," Francona said.
White Sox: Abreu was shaken up when he was accidentally hit in the face by Kipnis while applying a tag in the third inning. It also looked as if something was bothering Abreu after a hard slide back into first in the fifth, but he stayed in the game.
UP NEXT
Indians RHP Trevor Bauer and White Sox LHP Jose Quintana get the ball Tuesday night in the second game of the four-game series. Bauer (11-6, 3.86 ERA) is looking for his third consecutive victory and career-best 12th on the season. Quintana (11-10, 3.13 ERA) is winless in two September outings, but 5-3 with a 2.70 ERA in 15 career starts against the Indians.
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