HR in 10th lifts Indians over Sox 6-5
CLEVELAND — Carlos Santana’s leadoff home run in the 10th inning gave the Cleveland Indians their seventh straight win, a 6-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night.
Santana hit a 3-2 pitch from Dylan Axelrod (3-7) into the right field seats for Cleveland’s ninth walkoff win of the season. The crowd of 22,258 roared when the ball reached the seats and Santana threw his helmet in the air as he reached home plate and was mobbed his teammates.
Chris Perez (4-1) hit Adam Dunn with a pitch with two outs in the 10th, but struck out Paul Konerko to end the inning as Chicago lost its sixth straight game.
Both teams scored two runs in the ninth. Pinch-hitter Jeff Keppinger’s two-run single with the bases loaded gave Chicago a 5-3 lead. Cleveland tied the game on sacrifice flies by Michael Bourn and Jason Kipnis.
The Indians have won 12 of 16, while the White Sox have lost 12 of 15. Chicago is 25 games under .500 for the first time since Sept. 11, 1989.
Keppinger, who was in a 3-for-31 slump, lined a 3-2 pitch from Cody Allen to right-center to break a 3-all tie in the ninth, but Chicago closer Addison Reed couldn’t lock down his 27th save.
Corey Kluber pitched a career-high 8 2-3 innings but was pulled after Conor Gillaspie’s two-out single in the ninth. Dayan Viciedo’s single off Allen moved Gillaspie to third. Gordon Beckham walked to load the bases. Keppinger, batting for Josh Phegley, got ahead in the count 3-0. He took the next two pitches for strikes before delivering.
Michael Brantley started the Indians’ ninth with a double. After pinch-hitter Jason Giambi was hit by a pitch, Drew Stubbs laid down a bunt in front of the plate. Reed fielded the ball and fired to first but Stubbs beat the throw, which was in the dirt and had to be scooped by Dunn.
Bourn’s sacrifice fly made it 5-4 and both runners advanced a base. Nick Swisher was intentionally walked and Kipnis tied the game with another sacrifice fly. Asdrubal Cabrera struck out to end the inning.
Kluber allowed three runs, all coming in the sixth when the White Sox rallied from a 3-0 deficit.
White Sox starter Carlos Quintana recorded his major-league leading 14th no-decision, allowing three runs in five innings.
Kipnis’ groundout scored a run in the first. Brantley added an RBI double in the fourth while Santana’s fifth-inning double stretched the lead to 3-0.
Chicago tied the game in the sixth on Alexei Ramirez’s RBI double and run-scoring singles by Alex Rios and Dunn.
A day after pulling off trades, both teams were quiet as 4 p.m. EDT deadline came and went without either team making another deal. Chicago sent pitcher Jake Peavy to Boston and acquired four minor leaguers in a three-team trade with Detroit on Tuesday. The Indians acquired left-hander Marc Rzepczynski from St. Louis and optioned right-hander Vinnie Pestano to Triple-A Columbus.
Rios, another subject of trade speculation, sustained a bruised left foot after fouling off a pitch Tuesday but X-rays were negative.
NOTES: The White Sox recalled OF Jordan Danks from Triple-A Charlotte for the third time this season. Danks is batting .135 with one homer and two RBIs in 32 games with Chicago, but said he “made some small adjustments here and there, so I feel very good now at the plate.” ... Cleveland hasn’t been 11 games over .500 since June 5, 2011. ... White Sox manager Robin Ventura said RHP Andre Rienzo will remain in the starting rotation in Peavy’s former spot. Rienzo became the first Brazilian-born pitcher in major league history when he went seven innings Tuesday. ... Indians RHP Justin Masterson (12-7) takes on White Sox LHP Chris Sale (6-10) in the four-game series finale Thursday at 12:05 p.m.