Indians 4, White Sox 3
CHICAGO -- If the Cleveland Indians were feeling any lingering effects from a marathon doubleheader sweep on Friday night, they did a good job hiding them on Saturday afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field.
The Indians clinched a victory in a four-game weekend series by beating the Chicago White Sox 4-3 for their third straight comeback win against their American League Central rival.
After twice battling back from deficits to tie the game, the Indians took their first lead in the eighth, 4-3, on a single to center field by Nick Swisher -- who drove in Asdrubal Cabrera with one out. It was the first earned run that White Sox reliever Jesse Crain had allowed in 30 straight appearances, but it also gave the Indians' bullpen a chance to close out another win against the White Sox (32-46).
Three relievers combined to throw four scoreless innings in the win, capped by closer Chris Perez picking up his seventh save with a 1-2-3-ninth - just three days after coming off the disabled list because of a shoulder strain.
Cleveland (43-38) has now won nine of its last 12 games and continues to pressure the Detroit Tigers at the top of the American League Central. The first-place Tigers, who played on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday night, led the Indians by just two games coming into the day's action.
Chicago, meanwhile, continues to lag far behind in last place -- dropping its fourth straight game and 12th in the past 16 contests.
Dylan Axelrod started for the White Sox and took a no-decision for the fifth straight time after going six innings and allowing three earned runs on five hits. Two of those hits were home runs, which plated all the runs scored on Axelrod, who departed with the game knotted 3-3 heading into the seventh.
Ubaldo Jimenez started for Cleveland and took a no-decision while allowing three earned runs on nine hits in five innings of work. He struck out eight but walked four, forcing him to pitch out of jams.
Chicago struck first to take a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Tyler Flowers doubled home Conor Gillaspie with one out. The Sox, however, failed to turn it into a bigger inning with runners at second and third following Flowers' drive down the left-field line.
Alejandro De Aza popped weakly to third and Alexei Ramirez struck out swinging to end the inning.
Cabrera led off the Indians' fourth with his sixth homer of the season to tie the game at 1.
The White Sox again had a chance to blow the game open in the bottom of the fifth, but settled for just a pair of runs during a two-out rally despite loading the bases. Singles by Gillaspie and Dayan Viciedo each plated runs to put the White Sox up 3-1. But Jimenez struck out Flowers looking to end the threat and keep the Indians within striking distance.
It didn't take long for Cleveland to strike back, either.
After Michael Bourn walked to lead off the sixth, Kipnis, who is from the Chicago area, launched a two-run homer that tied the game at 3-3. The ball traveled an estimated 405 feet to right field.
NOTES: After receiving six shots for pain relief in his back on Friday, White Sox 1B/DH Paul Konerko didn't start on Saturday afternoon. He'd missed four straight games, including both ends of the marathon doubleheader on Friday that wound up lasting nearly eight hours combined. Konerko took some swings before the game on Saturday. The 37-year-old Konerko is optimistic he won't land on the disabled list, but couldn't rule it out for certain. "I don't see that happening," he said. "The only way I could see it being an issue is if the way I'm feeling right now just doesn't go away or if it doesn't get loosened up at all." ... The White Sox sent down 3B Brent Morel and RHP Brian Omogrosso after Friday's twin bill and called up RHP Simon Castro to work out of the bullpen in his first Major League stint. ... The Indians have agreed to terms with 22 of their 39 picks in the 2013 amateur draft, with the most recent being RHP Cortland Cox, their 32nd round selection. ... Cleveland sent RHP Matt Langwell back down to Triple-A Columbus after Friday's games and recalled RHP Joe Martinez, a starter whom Francona said will be used in long relief. Martinez earned the win on Saturday with two innings of scoreless ball. ... The Indians sent RHP Carlos Carrasco back to Triple-A Columbus after making a start on Friday but he will likely get recalled to make another start in the rotation. Francona said the club will utilize an off day on Monday in order to get Carrasco some extra rest for back spasms that flared up Friday.
