Choo, Carmona lead Indians over White Sox

[October 02, 2010]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Shin-Soo Choo hit a two-run home run, Fausto Carmona pitched six strong innings and the Cleveland Indians extended their season-high winning streak to seven games with a 7-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Friday night.

The Indians are on their longest winning streak since they won 10 straight from Aug. 17-27, 2008.

Carmona (13-14) won his seventh straight start against the White Sox. He is 7-3 in his career against the White Sox in his career. The right-hander allowed two runs and five hits while striking out seven with one walk. He has not lost to Chicago since April 13, 2007.

Brent Morel homered for the White Sox, who lost for the second time in nine games.

Tony Pena (5-3), who took over Gavin Floyd's spot in the rotation, allowed six runs and nine hits. Floyd was shut down for the season after leaving his start with tightness in his right shoulder on Sept. 20 at Oakland.

Pena allowed consecutive doubles to Michael Brantley and Asdrubal Cabrera to start the game. Then Choo homered to right-center to give the Indians a 3-0 lead. It was Choo's 22nd homer of the season. Since Sept. 1, Choo has 27 RBIS in 28 games and is hitting .340.

Mark Teahen doubled with two outs in the bottom of the first and scored on Dayan Viciedo's single. Morel led off the second inning with a home run off the left-field foul pole. It was Morel's third of the season.

With runners on first and second and one out in the third, Pena intentionally walked Travis Hafner to load the bases. During Jayson Nix's at-bat, Pena threw a wild pitch allowing a run to score. Nix drove in a run on a sacrifice fly and Trevor Crowe followed with an RBI single to make it 6-2.

Crowe had an RBI single in the seventh inning.

Indians reliever Vinnie Pestano allowed a two-out RBI single to Alejandro De Aza in the ninth before striking out Brent Lillibridge with runners on first and second.

NOTES: White Sox reliever Bobby Jenks, who has not pitched since Sept. 2 with a sore right forearm, says he can pitch in the final two games if needed. ... After hitting a grand slam Thursday night, White Sox 1B Paul Konerko had the night off.

[Associated Press]

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