CHICAGO: The Indians continue to reel in the Chicago White Sox.
On Wednesday, the Indians got an ace-like outing from Corey Kluber and did enough to beat Jose Quintana and the White Sox 4-3 to take perhaps the most important series of the season to date three games to one.
The win pulled the Indians (25-20) to within a half-game of the White Sox (27-21) in the American League Central race and puts them ahead in the loss column. It also means the Indians have made up ground while Michael Brantley and Carlos Carrasco continue to work their way back from the disabled list.
“It’s encouraging to say the least,” said Jason Kipnis. “We’ve put a real good emphasis on April and May this year to get off to a better start so we’re not playing catch-up all year. … To be able to win games without our [No. 3] hitter and one of our top-of-the-rotation guys, we’re ecstatic about that.”
Lonnie Chisenhall, in the starting lineup despite facing Quintana (5-4, 2.22 ERA), a left-handed pitcher, struck first. With two on and two out in the second inning, Chisenhall ripped a ball to right field that Adam Eaton dove for but just missed. It rolled to the wall, giving Chisenhall a two-run triple.
“[And it was] against a guy that’s been really [tough], not only on him, the whole team, the whole league,” said Indians manager Terry Francona. “Eaton didn’t get it and we get two runs out of it. And against a guy like Quintana, that’s big.”
In the third, the Indians pushed the lead to 3-0 on Juan Uribe’s sacrifice fly to center field, which scored Jose Ramirez, who had singled.
Kluber (4-5, 3.78 ERA) pitched 7⅓ innings, allowed two runs (one earned), walked one and struck out nine.
The first run came on a comedy of errors when Todd Frazier, standing on first in the sixth inning, took off for second base. Yan Gomes’ throw sailed well beyond second base and into center field, giving Frazier third base. Rajai Davis, in center, then misplayed it, allowing Frazier to score all the way from first.
Gomes made up for it in the eighth, ripping an RBI triple into the left-field corner to put the Indians up 4-1.
Kluber allowed a single to Jimmy Rollins and then struck out Frazier to end his day in the bottom of the eighth. Bryan Shaw entered and the White Sox quickly made it a one-run game by taking him deep for a two-run home run by Melky Cabrera, his first batter, to make it 4-3.
Shaw rebounded to get Brett Lawrie to pop out and Dioner Navarro to ground out to escape with the lead intact.
Cody Allen then shut the door in the ninth for his 11th save of the season.
Kluber said he thinks it isn’t yet time to pore over the standings, but it is the right time to put it all together.
“For me personally, I think it’s too early to look at the standings, but it’s always nice to win a divisional series,” Kluber said. “Those games count big-time. It’s nice to come in here and take three out of four.”
Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Indians blog at www.ohio.com/indians. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RyanLewisABJ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RyanLewisABJ