Clevinger fans 10 in beating White Sox again
Mike Clevinger struck out 10 batters, and Francisco Lindor delivered a two-run single in a four-run second inning, as the Cleveland Indians remained undefeated at home against the Chicago White Sox with a 6-3 victory Monday.
Clevinger (6-2) gave up one run on five hits over 7 2/3 innings as he improved to 3-0 against the White Sox this season. It was his second consecutive outing against the American League Central rival after striking out 11 on Thursday in Chicago. Cody Allen got the last out for his 15th save in 16 chances.
The Indians lead the major leagues with 16 double-digit strikeout games from their starters. Clevinger has three of those.
The White Sox dropped their sixth consecutive game and are now 2-7 against the Indians this season. They are 11-23 against the AL Central.
Clevinger entered the game 10th in the AL in ERA and saw that number fall from 3.15 to 3.00. The right-hander threw 114 pitches, reaching triple digits for his ninth consecutive start, the second-longest streak in baseball behind teammate Trevor Bauer (15).
The White Sox put Clevinger and the Indians in an early hole when Yoan Moncada led off the game with a double and scored on a single from Jose Abreu. Over his previous 30 at-bats, Abreu had just five hits and entered 9-for-46.
The Indians got even in the second inning on Yonder Alonso's RBI single. Brandon Guyer scored on a wild pitch from White Sox starter Carlos Rodon, and Lindor capped a four-run second inning with his two-run single to right field.
Michael Brantley and Edwin Encarnacion had RBI hits in the seventh inning.
Starting in the second inning, Clevinger retired 17-of-18 batters in a dominating stretch that took him into the seventh inning.
In his third start since coming off the disabled list, Rodon (0-2) gave up four runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts. He went 6 1/3 innings after going five innings in his first two starts.
Moncada added a two-run double off the wall in center field in the ninth inning.
In addition to losing all five games at Cleveland this season, the White Sox have dropped six consecutive at Progressive Field going back to last season and eight of their last nine.
--Field Level Media
