Swisher powers White Sox over Indians

[July 01, 2008]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Nick Swisher homered from both sides of the plate, hitting his second grand slam in four games and adding a solo shot Monday night to lead the surging Chicago White Sox past the Cleveland Indians 9-7.

Jim Thome got the White Sox started with a three-run homer in the first as the AL-Central leaders won their fifth straight game and knocked the Indians 10 1/2 games back.

Cleveland's Jhonny Peralta went 5-for-5 with three doubles, his 12th homer and three RBIs. The Indians made it interesting by scoring three in the top of the ninth before Matt Thornton got Casey Blake to line out with a runner on to get his first save in three chances.

The switch-hitting Swisher, who had a bases-loaded homer against the Cubs on Friday, connected from the right side against lefty Jeremy Sowers (0-4) to cap a five-run third inning. It was the major league-leading eighth grand slam given up by Cleveland's pitching staff this season.

In the sixth, Swisher went deep from the left side against Tom Mastny -- the seventh time in Swisher's career he's homered from both sides, including twice this season.

Thome's three-run homer was his second in two games and the 523rd of his career. Of Thome's 16 homers this season, six have come against the Indians, his former team.

Gavin Floyd (9-4) allowed four runs and seven hits with a career-high 10 strikeouts over six innings.

Down 8-1 at one point, Cleveland got within four with a pair of runs in the sixth as Peralta doubled, Shin-Soo Choo hit an RBI single and moved to third on a stolen base and an error and scored on David Dellucci's RBI single off the top of second baseman Alexei Ramirez's glove.

Orlando Cabrera doubled to lead off the third when Indians' right fielder Choo missed a sliding catch and scored on Jermaine Dye's two-out single off third baseman Blake's glove. After Thome doubled and Joe Crede walked to load the bases, Swisher lined his 10th homer of the season down the left-field line and into the White Sox's bullpen.

In the first, Cabrera singled and Brian Anderson walked, and after Sowers struck out Carlos Quentin and Dye, Thome drove a pitch into the left-center field bleachers.

Sowers lasted three innings, giving up six hits and eight runs.

Notes: Swisher has four career grand slams. ... The White Sox have hit seven grand slams this season. ... Peralta's five hits were a career high. Cleveland outhit Chicago 14-9. ... Indians RHP Scott Elarton was put on the restricted list Monday after telling manager Eric Wedge he needed to leave the team for personal reasons. ... The White Sox finished June with 48 homers. ... The White Sox are waiting for 1B Paul Konerko to be able to go out on a rehab assignment as he recovers on the DL from strained oblique muscle. He'd hoped to be with Triple-A Charlotte by now, but his plans were delayed by some discomfort. ...The loss marked the start of a crucial eight-game road swing for the Indians with stops in Minneapolis and Detroit.

[Associated Press; By RICK GANO]

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.