Cleveland Indians: Tribe Once Again Comes Up a Little Bit Short

9 - 1 - 10     vs. Chicago White Sox     L, 6 - 4     53 - 80

     Reduced to the role of spoiler, the Indians tried to derail Chicago's playoff hopes, yet they were again lacking a big hit in the 9th inning.  In all three games of this series, the Tribe had the winning run on base in the game's final frame, but all three times, they came away with nothing but another loss.
     Making his first start of the season, Carlos Carrasco was brilliant.  However, he did get touched up for a couple of long balls, and after he headed for the showers, his relief blew his chance at a win.
     The first of those aforementioned home runs came off the bat of Alex Rios in the 1st, and it staked the visitors to a 1 - 0 lead.
     With a runner on third base in the bottom of the 3rd, Asdrubal Cabrera reached out and hooked a Freddy Garcia offering into right field, tying the game at one.
     Cleveland grabbed the advantage and sent Garcia to the trainer's room with a stiff back, all in the 4th inning.  Jayson Nix squibbed an infield single to shortstop, advanced to second courtesy of an error, and crossed home plate when Jordan Brown scooted a grounder into shallow right field.
     At the end of seven, the Indians maintained a 4 - 1 lead, even though they had done nothing more than tap the ball around the infield and capitalize on a trio of White Sox defensive miscues.
     The Tribe's run of good fortune finally came to a halt in the 8th, and it all started thanks to an Alexi Ramirez solo bomb.  Following a walk to Juan Pierre, Carrasco was yanked. 
     The bullpen did nothing to reverse the inning's downward trend as Justin Germano walked Rios before surrendering a Paul Konerko two - out, three - run homer.
     Ozzie Guillen went to a rookie in the last of the 9th, and Chris Sale did the job, but not before the Tribe staged another fruitless rally.  Sale walked a pair, meaning Cleveland twice brought the winning run the plate.  However, Cabrera bounced into a fielder's choice, and Shin - Soo Choo struck out swinging to end the game.