Since the month of April, the Indians' recipe for success has been pitching and timely hitting.
On Thursday night in Chicago, the Tribe used that formula once again.
Justin Masterson worked 6 solid innings, the offense produced several clutch hits, and the bullpen sealed the victory.
Despite struggling with his command, Masterson held the White Sox to 2 runs during those 6 frames. The Big Masty only whiffed 2 while allowing 7 base hits, but he never imploded. His gritty effort was rewarded as he notched his 10th win.
Matt LaPorta's 2-strike, 2-out, 2-run homer to left-center in the 4th pushed the Indians into a 2-1 lead.
Chicago knotted the score in the bottom of the 4th, but the Indians plated the 2 deciding tallies in the 6th. Shin-Soo Choo smashed a lead-off single off the glove of the shortstop, Alexi Ramirez, and Kosuke Fukudome whistled a RBI triple into the right field corner. Then, after a walk, a hit-batter, and 2 strke outs, Asdrubal Cabrera watched a 3-2 pitch sail low and outside, forcing in Fukudome.
Following Masterson's exit, the Cleveland 'pen slammed the door shut on the White Sox. Rafael Perez and Joe Smith combined to toss a scoreless 7th, setting the stage for the set-up man, Vinnie Pestano. Chicago managed to load the bases before Pestano K'd Gordon Beckham to end the threat. Chris Perez breezed through the 9th, and the Indians moved to within 1.5 games of 1st place Detroit.
Chicago's relief corps pitched the final 7 2/3 innings because Phillip Humber was drilled above the right eye by a Fukudome liner in the 2nd. Humber did leave the field under his own power, but the incident was very frightening.
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| It was a team effort that lifted the Tribe over the Sox |
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