PATRICK ROSE
Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) — Every time Corey Kluber found himself in a key situation, he was facing Jose Abreu.
Abreu hit a pair of run-scoring singles against Kluber, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Indians 3-2 Wednesday night to stop a season-high seven-game losing streak.
Abreu put Chicago ahead for good in the seventh with his third hit of the game against Kluber (13-8). Abreu reached out and hit a cutter down and away in the strike zone.
“I made a couple of pitches they took advantage of, even the one Abreu hit in the (seventh) inning, that was a good pitch, it was where we wanted it. He’s just a really good hitter and he did a good job of hitting,” said Kluber.
Abreu is 12 for 24 during his current seven-game hitting streak.
“He’s learned how to stretch out a little bit, knowing the situation. Hitting where he’s hitting and doing the things he’s done this year, getting RBIs you have to extend it a little bit, and he did,” said White Sox manager Robin Ventura.
Adam Eaton doubled with one out and advanced on Alexei Ramirez’s groundout, and Abreu drove in his AL-high 96th run.
Kluber was irked when home plate umpire Rob Drake didn’t allow him to throw warm-up tosses after an umpire review in the seventh inning. White Sox manager Robin Ventura asked for a review after Carlos Sanchez was tagged out at the plate by catcher Roberto Perez. Ventura was contesting that Perez didn’t give Sanchez a path to the plate, but the review confirmed the call.
“Tonight, I don’t get the whole making up rules as we go. Every other time I was out there for a replay I was able to throw a couple of pitches and all of sudden I’m told I’m only able to throw pitches while they’re reviewing the play, so the umpire is making up stuff as we’re going and the system needs to be looked at,” said Kluber.
Hector Noesi (8-9) allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings, improving to 5-2 in eight starts since the All-Star break.
Javy Guerra allowed Jason Kipnis’ one-out single in the ninth and hit Zach Walters with a pitch with two outs. Zach Putman relieved and retired Chris Dickerson on a fly out for his fourth save in five chances.
Kluber lost consecutive starts for the first time this year, allowing three runs and nine hits in 6 1-3 innings with eight strikeouts. The Indians had won three straight
Michael Bourn’s run-scoring single put Cleveland ahead in the third. Chicago went ahead in the bottom half when Abreu hit an RBI single with two outs and scored on a double by Adam Dunn.
With Eaton on third base, Francona pondered a couple of scenarios how to attack Abreu.
“That’s a tough situation. He’s hit into a number of double plays. He is a really good hitter. That’s tough, that’s really tough,” said Indians manager Terry Francona. “We knew how we wanted to pitch. That last pitch just got too much of the plate.”
Lonnie Chisenhall wrapped a 339-foot homer around the right-field foul pole in the seventh, his 12th home run this season.
TRAINING ROOM
Indians: C Yan Gomes is expected to be available Friday when he comes off the seven-day concussion disabled list. Gomes took a foul ball off the mask last week against Minnesota.
White Sox: Manager Robin Ventura dismissed the notion that outfielder Avisail Garcia, who missed more than four months with a torn labrum in his left shoulder, has played hesitantly since returning from the DL and may still be ailing. “I don’t think so,” Ventura said. “That’s just the way he plays outfield.”
UP NEXT
LHP John Danks (9-8, 4.96) takes is to start for the White Sox in the finale of the three-game series. He will face RHP Carlos Carrasco (5-4, 3.14), who is 2-0 since rejoining the Indians rotation on Aug. 10.
STRONG ROTATION
The Indians starters have a 2.20 ERA in their last 15 games.
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