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Chicago White Sox split doubleheader with Cleveland

The first-place Chicago White Sox played baseball for much of the day Monday, and they didn't gain any ground in the AL Central.

Then again, they didn't lose any ground either, at least not to second-place Cleveland.

The Sox (27-19) and the Indians (23-20) split a doubleheader at U.S. Cellular Field. In Game 1, the White Sox hung on for a 7-6 win. In Game 2, the Indians salvaged the split with a 5-1 decision.

After scoring 5 total runs in a three-game weekend series with the Kansas City Royals, the Sox exceeded that number in the opening game against Cleveland.

Brett Lawrie, who came in with just 2 hits in his last 23 at-bats, sparked the win with a 3-run homer in the fifth inning that put the White Sox in front for good.

"It was great, just able to put some runs on the board for the boys and give us a little bit of breathing room," Lawrie said after going 2-for-2 with 3 walks while hitting his first home run of the season at the Cell.

The Sox needed the big offensive output to hold off the Indians, who scored 3 runs in the eighth inning off relievers Zach Duke and Matt Albers after starter Mat Latos gave up 3 runs in 6 innings.

Todd Frazier homered for the second straight game in the opener, but the White Sox are hoping Lawrie's 3-run blast is a sign of more power to come.

"The way he was swinging it today, you liked the way it was coming off his bat," manager Robin Ventura said.

But just when it looked the like the Sox's offense was heating up, the bats went cold again in Game 2.

With Erik Johnson up from Class AAA Charlotte to start for the White Sox, the game stayed close early. The Indians hit 3 home runs off Johnson, including Rajai Davis' 2-run shot in the fifth inning.

Johnson wasn't awful, allowing 5 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks in 6⅔ innings, but the Sox's offense was stymied by Cleveland starter Cody Anderson, who came in with an 0-3 record and 7.99 ERA.

"It looked better," Ventura said of Johnson. "This is the best I've seen him in awhile, just letting it go, control. He looked free and easy."

Anderson pitched 7 innings and allowed 1 run on 5 hits to go with 9 strikeouts. The right-hander is now a career 3-0 with a 1.83 ERA against the White Sox.

"I thought their guy threw a great game," Ventura said. "Great changeup. His off-speed stuff was really tough on us."

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