Not pretty, but Sox get two positive results
CLEVELAND - Maybe the White Sox are back up and running.
If they were still down and out, they would have suffered a double loss against the Indians on Monday night at Progressive Field.
Bobby Jenks couldn't hold another 3-run lead in the ninth inning, and the Sox would have dropped this game like they have so many others since the all-star break.
And they also would have lost second baseman Gordon Beckham, who was the portrait of pain after being hit on the right hand by a pitch from Cleveland reliever Frank Herrmann in the seventh inning.
Beckham is OK - X-rays were negative and his hand is just bruised.
As for the White Sox, they're OK, too, all things considered.
"That was an ugly game, no matter if you're winning or losing," manager Ozzie Guillen said after the Sox pulled out a 10-6 victory in 11 innings while pulling 4 games behind the Twins in the AL Central. "Very bad game, but thank God we won it."
Pitching was hardly at a premium, as the White Sox pounded out 21 hits - including 5 from Alex Rios - while leaving 16 runners on base. The Indians had 14 hits and stranded 12.
But, again, it could have been worse.
After Cleveland rallied to tie the game at 6-6 in the ninth inning, Jenks still had to deal with a runner on second base and no outs. The right-hander got three straight groundouts to keep the game alive.
"It isn't Bobby's fault," Guillen said. "I think our bullpen has to pick it up a notch, but Bobby's been throwing a lot of innings the past couple days."
Brent Lillibridge replaced Beckham at second base, and his throwing error in the ninth inning helped fuel the Indians' rally.
But with two outs in the 11th, Lillibridge put the Sox ahead for good with a home run off Rafael Perez. The White Sox tacked on 3 more runs off the left-hander to put the game away.
"I was just trying to help Bobby get an out," Lillibridge said of the error. "But we came back and battled through it and won a game we had to have."
As for Beckham, he wasn't happy when the X-ray technician at nearby Lutheran Hospital initially said the hand was broken.
"Bush league," Beckham said.
When he was hit by Herrmann, Beckham feared the worst.
"If it hits me an inch more south or an inch more north, it breaks my knuckle or my wrist," Beckham said. "I got pretty lucky. As soon as it hit I knew it was bad, but I didn't feel anything pop."
Beckham might be able to play Wednesday, but he's more likely to return to the lineup Friday at Boston.
<p class="News">Scot Gregor's game tracker</p>
<p class="News">White Sox 10, Indians 6 (11)</p>
<p class="News"><b>Rios erupts: </b>Alex Rios tied his career high with 5 hits, and he also homered and had 4 RBI to spark the Sox' 21-hit attack. It was the third 5-hit game of Rios' career.</p>
<p class="News"><b>Jenks gives it up:</b> Bobby Jenks couldn't hold a 6-3 lead in the ninth inning, allowing 3 runs on 3 hits and a walk. He came in with a streak of 81/3 scoreless innings.</p>
<p class="News"><b>Beckham OK:</b> Gordon Beckham exited in the seventh inning after being hit by a pitch on the right hand, but X-rays were negative. He could be out until Friday.</p>
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