Buehrle pitches White Sox past Indians 8-4
CLEVELAND — Mark Buehrle bounced back from a poor outing and pitched six effective innings, leading the Chicago White Sox past the Cleveland Indians 8-4 Wednesday night.
Buehrle (12-9) gave up two runs and four hits. He had gone 0-3 with an 11.74 ERA in three previous September starts, allowing 33 hits in only 15 1-3 innings.
Buehrle's skid included a career-worst 15 hits in 6 1-3 innings in a 7-2 loss to Kansas City last Thursday. The left-hander left that start after being hit in the left arm by a line drive off the bat of Alcides Escobar.
Alejandro De Aza hit a tiebreaking, two-run single off Ubaldo Jimenez (4-3) in a three-run seventh. Chicago added four runs on three homers off reliever Chad Durbin in the eighth.
The White Sox pulled within a half game of second-place Cleveland in the AL Central, well behind division champion Detroit.
Tyler Flowers broke a scoreless tie with an RBI double in the fifth off Jimenez.
Travis Hafner hit his 13th homer in the sixth to put Cleveland ahead 2-1. But Jimenez, acquired from Colorado at the July 31 trading deadline, couldn't hold the lead.
Jimenez walked Dayan Viciedo with one out in the seventh and scored the tying run on Brent Morel's booming double to left-center. With two outs, Gordon Beckham walked and De Aza put Chicago ahead by slashing a single to left-center.
De Aza, recalled from Triple-A Charlotte on July 27, has hit .350 (36 for 103) with 19 RBIs in his last 32 games.
Alexei Ramirez and Alex Rios hit solo homers and Morel added a two-run shot in the Chicago eighth. Jason Kipnis had a sacrifice fly and Carlos Santana an RBI single in the bottom half off White Sox reliever Jason Frasor.
Jimenez gave up four runs and six hits over seven innings, striking out seven. His overall record dropped to 10-12, including 6-9 with Colorado before the former NL All-Star was dealt to Cleveland for four prospects.
Buehrle needs to throw 1 2-3 innings to become the sixth pitcher since 1980 to work 200 innings or more in 11 consecutive seasons. Four of the others — Don Sutton, Gaylord Perry, Phil Niekro and Steve Carlton — are Hall of Famers. The fifth is 355-game winner Greg Maddux, a virtual lock for enshrinement once he becomes eligible in 2013.
NOTES: Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen isn't sure OF Carlos Quentin will play again this season. Quentin, out since Aug. 20 with a sore left shoulder, was activated Sept. 12, but feels soreness when taking batting practice. ... White Sox 1B Paul Konerko sat out with a stiff back. ... Indians SS Asdrubal Cabrera, who sat out the second game of a doubleheader Tuesday with a stiff back, said he felt better and was available, but didn't play. ... Indians manager Manny Acta said RHP Josh Tomlin, despite throwing well in a simulated game Tuesday, is done for the year. Tomlin, out since Aug. 25 with a strained right elbow, had hoped to start Saturday in a doubleheader against Minnesota. With Cleveland eliminated, Acta said there is no reason to push Tomlin and that RHP Mitch Talbot, recently recalled from Triple-A Columbus, will start. Trainers pronounced Tomlin fit and expect him to be ready to return to the rotation in spring training. ... Chicago's Phil Humber (9-8) will oppose Jeanmar Gomez (4-2) in a matchup of right-handers in Chicago's final meeting this year with Cleveland on Thursday. The White Sox lead the series 11-6.