Indians continue Sox' woes with 8-3 win
Paul Byrd got his 15th victory and Travis Hafner had three RBIs as the surging Cleveland Indians won for the 15th time in 18 games by beating the Chicago White Sox 8-3 on Tuesday night.
Byrd (15-6) allowed three runs and six hits in 6 1-3 innings, including two homers by Juan Uribe, as Cleveland increased its lead in the AL Central over Detroit to 6ˆ½ games after the Tigers split a doubleheader with Texas.
Byrd had a career-best 17 wins for Kansas City in 2002.
Cleveland benefited by the wildness of Chicago pitchers, collecting 10 walks, including two with the bases loaded in a three-run sixth when the Indians broke a 3-3 tie.
Casey Blake doubled to start the sixth against reliever Lance Broadway (0-1) who was replaced one out later by Matt Thornton. Grady Sizemore singled and Asdrubal Cabrera hit an RBI double when White Sox center fielder Jerry Owens misjudged his fly ball near the fence.
Thornton then walked Hafner to load the bases and Ryan Garko to force in a run and give the Indians a 5-3 lead. Another struggling reliever, Mike MacDougal, walked Jhonny Peralta, bringing in the third run of the inning. Cleveland tacked on two more in the seventh on Kelly Shoppach's grounder and a run-scoring single by Haffner.
Garko hit his 18th homer to give the Indians a 1-0 lead in the second. Uribe tied the game twice, with a solo shot in the second and a two-run drive in the fourth, his 17th and 18th homers of the season.
Cleveland moved ahead 3-1 in the third and knocked out John Danks, who hit Shoppach and walked Sizemore before giving up a two-run single to Hafner.
Byrd shut the White Sox out on four hits 10 days ago at Jacobs Field and is 3-0 against them in five starts this season. He also is 8-2 in is career against the White Sox, including 4-0 at U.S. Cellular Field.
Danks is winless in nine starts since his last win July 16. Making his first start since Aug. 30, he lasted 2 2-3 innings Ȣ₈¬Ã¢â‚¬ˆť his shortest outing of the season Ȣ₈¬Ã¢â‚¬ˆť and gave up three hits, three runs and four walks.