Santana's homer gives Indians seventh straight win

CLEVELAND -- Nobody is enjoying the Cleveland Indians' current hot streak more than their manager.

"When you think you're going to win but you're not sure how -- that's a fun feeling," said Terry Francona after his team won its seventh game in a row with another thrilling finish.

Carlos Santana's home run leading off the bottom of the 10th inning gave Cleveland a 6-5 win over the Chicago White Sox Wednesday night. The White Sox have lost six in a row.

The Indians scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the game, then won it in the 10th on Santana's 12th home run of the season on a 3-2 pitch from Dylan Axelrod (3-7). The ball just did get over the right-field wall, landing in the first row of seats.

"When Carlos hit it, Sandy (Alomar, Cleveland bench coach) started high-fiving me," Francona said. "Sandy knows this ballpark better than I do."

The pitch before the home run was a 3-1 pitch that Santana said he thought might have been ball four.

"But he (home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn) called it a strike, so on the next pitch I hit a home run," Santana said.

It's the Indians' third walk-off win in their last six games. The win went to Cleveland closer Chris Perez (4-1), who pitched the top of the 10th.

Trailing 5-3 in the top of the ninth, the Indians tied the game with a rally that started with a double by Michael Brantley, his third hit of the game, off White Sox closer Addison Reed. Pinch hitter Jason Giambi was hit by a pitch and replaced by pinch runner Lonnie Chisenhall.

Drew Stubbs, attempting a sacrifice bunt, turned it into a bunt single by beating Reed's throw to first, loading the base with no outs.

Michael Bourn hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Brantley, to make the score 5-4. Chisenhall went to third and Stubbs to second base.

The White Sox intentionally walked Nick Swisher to load the bases.

Jason Kipnis lifted a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Chisenhall with the tying run.

"Reeder just didn't get it done the way you'd like," said Chicago manager Robin Ventura.

"This was 100 percent my fault," Reed said. "I felt great, but things just aren't working out the way I wanted them to."

Jeff Keppinger's pinch-hit two-out, two-run single in the top of the ninth inning broke a 3-3 tie and gave the White Sox a 5-3 lead.

With two outs in the top of the ninth Conor Gillaspie singled off Cleveland starter Cory Kluber. Cody Allen relieved Kluber, and Dayan Viciedo greeted Allen with a single, sending Gillaspie to third.

Gordon Beckham drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases. Keppinger, pinch hitting for Josh Phegley, worked the count to 3-2 and then lined a two-run single to center.

Trailing 3-0 through five innings Chicago erupted for three runs in the sixth inning against Kluber. No.9 hitter Phegley led off the inning with a single, and he scored on a one-out double by Alexi Ramirez.

Alex Rios followed with a line-drive single to center scoring Ramirez to make it 3-2. Adam Dunn's RBI single scored Rios with the tying run.

The Indians took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, which began with a double by Bourn into the left-center field gap. Bourn went to third on a single by Swisher and he scored on a groundout by Kipnis.

The Indians made it 2-0 in the fourth inning. With one out Mike Aviles singled to left and scored on a double by Brantley.

Kluber came into the game on a roll. In his previous nine starts, going back to June 11, he was 4-1 with a 3.02 ERA. He rolled through the first five innings, throwing just 54 pitches and holding the White Sox scoreless on three hits.

Cleveland added a run in the fifth inning when Quintana walked two then gave up an RBI double to Santana to extend the Cleveland lead to 3-0.

Notes: Prior to the game the White Sox recalled OF Jordan Danks from Class AAA Charlotte. Danks, who takes the roster spot of traded RHP Jake Peavy, was hitting .279 at Charlotte. ... OF Avisail Garcia, acquired as part of the three-team trade involving Peavy, has been assigned to Charlotte. ... To make room on the roster for newly-acquired LHP Marc Rzepczynski the Indians optioned RHP Vinnie Pestano to Triple-A Columbus. ... All 13 position players on the Indians' 25-man roster have 23 or more RBIs.