CHICAGO: The Indians had overcome the 32-degree weather, the whipping wind, three errors and two wild pitches, leaving Cody Anderson in position to beat White Sox ace Chris Sale.
“I think it says a lot about Cody and his ability to manage the game and manage the weather,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “All the things that are thrown at you and we get a 3-2 lead when he left the game.”
Bryan Shaw and the bullpen couldn’t hold it, though, leaving the Indians cold and frustrated.
Avisail Garcia hit a three-run home run in the decisive seventh inning, Sale remained unbeaten and Chicago rallied past the Indians 7-3 on a frigid Saturday.
“I wasn’t locating well, kind of leaving pitches middle, the balls were over the plate,” Shaw said. “I wasn’t attacking like I should have, and obviously we saw what happened.”
Garcia, picked off at first base a day earlier in a miserable home opener for the White Sox, went the opposite way off Shaw (0-1). Melky Cabrera’s nine-pitch RBI single a batter earlier put the White Sox ahead and ended the Indians’ chances of a third straight win.
Jose Abreu hit a solo home run and reached base four times, while Sale (2-0) allowed three runs and six hits with six strikeouts in seven innings in the White Sox’s fourth win in six games.
Sale had retired 12 straight before an infield single and Mike Napoli’s two-run homer to center in the sixth tied it. Yan Gomes’ solo shot an inning later put the Indians ahead before Chicago’s five-run seventh.
Anderson went six innings, allowing two runs and six hits in conditions not fit for baseball.
“It was pretty tough,” Anderson said, “but we knew that coming in.”
The grounds crew didn’t completely remove about an inch of overnight snow off the field until about 45 minutes before the game on a blustery, 32-degree day.
That didn’t stop both starting pitchers from wearing short sleeves. They were helped from the 13 mph wind blowing in from right field that held up numerous fly balls.
The White Sox went ahead 2-0 when center fielder Rajai Davis misplayed Alex Avila’s one-hop single and Garcia scored from first in the fourth inning.
Napoli had been 1-for-15 in his career against Sale before pouncing on Sale’s changeup.
“A lot of guys do (struggle against Sale),” Francona said. “Like Nap can do, he can change the game with one swing. It was exciting.
“I know it didn’t end like we wanted it to, but that’s nice to see us claw back like that. Sale was starting to kick it in gear, you could tell he was starting to smell it a little bit. He had a little extra on it the last couple innings he pitched.”
Snow job
The surprise snow left stadium officials scrambling.
The grounds crew successfully shoveled off the tarp but needed a hose and later the sprinklers to melt the outfield snow.
Icy walkways and stairs meant the gates didn’t open for fans until 30 minutes before the game, and the upper deck remained closed.
Ouch
Not even the umpires were safe from the Indians’ fourth-inning gaffes.
After Avila’s single got through Davis, right fielder Collin Cowgill fielded the ball and threw wildly into the middle of the infield, pelting second base umpire Brian Knight on the leg. Knight walked it off.
Bullpen order
Francona defended going with Shaw before Zach McAllister, saying they were to split the seventh and eighth innings.
“I thought it was the right thing to do,” Francona said. “Zach could have come in and got them out, but in my mind Shaw was facing the guys he was supposed to.”
Trainer’s room
Indians: With Triple-A Columbus postponed for a third straight day, Francona said they were considering sending outfielders Michael Brantley (shoulder) and Lonnie Chisenhall (wrist) to Class-A Lynchburg to get in their rehab work.
White Sox: Outfielder Adam Eaton was out of the lineup to be with his wife after the birth of their first child.