Pierzynski's homer sends White Sox over Indians

[September 01, 2010]  CLEVELAND (AP) -- With Manny Ramirez standing in the on-deck circle ready to pinch-hit, A.J. Pierzynski connected for a tiebreaking, three-run homer off Frank Herrmann in the ninth inning to lift the Chicago White Sox to a 4-3 win over the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night.

Ramirez, who arrived earlier in the day to help Chicago's playoff push, was poised to make his White Sox debut and bat for Brent Lillibridge before Pierzynski came through.

He drove an 0-1 pitch over the wall in right field, and as he rounded the bases, Ramirez retreated to Chicago's dugout, where the fun-loving slugger celebrated his new teammate's heroics by high-fiving the rest of the White Sox as if he was the one who had homered.

Edwin Jackson (3-0) struck out 10 and allowed seven hits in 8 2-3 innings as the White Sox kept the pressure on first-place Minnesota in the AL Central. Jackson gave up Shelley Duncan's leadoff homer in the seventh, and appeared on his way to a complete game before the Indians rallied for two runs in the ninth.

The right-hander gave up a pair of one-out singles, but manager Ozzie Guillen stuck with him -- one batter too long. Jason Donald hit a two-run single and Guillen lifted Jackson to bring in closer Bobby Jenks, who had blown three saves in his last seven tries.

Jenks gave up a single to pinch-hitter Matt LaPorta before retiring Michael Brantley on a comebacker for his 25th save.

Indians reliever Joe Smith (1-2) walked two batters in the ninth before he was replaced by Herrmann. As Pierzynski was headed to the plate, Guillen told Ramirez to grab a bat, but the 12-time All-Star never got a chance to do anything but warm up with it. After Pierzynski's homer, Ramirez was called back.

Jackson and Cleveland starter Justin Masteron locked up in a scoreless duel for 6 1/2 innings before Duncan's eighth homer put the Indians up 1-0. Duncan came up in a 6-for-47 (.128) slide since Aug. 8 before connecting on a 1-1 pitch from Jackson, who had struck him out in his two previous at-bats.

Masterson, wildly inconsistent in his first full season with Cleveland, blanked the White Sox for the first 7 1-3 innings before Mark Teahen's RBI single tied it 1-all.

Ramirez got to wear his black No. 99 White Sox jersey for the first time, but he didn't get to cross the white foul lines with it on.

After getting up early for a cross-country flight, he didn't arrive in Cleveland until mid-afternoon and Guillen decided to hold off one more day before penciling him into the heart of Chicago's lineup. Ramirez is expected to start Wednesday's day game, batting fifth as the DH.

NOTES: Omar Vizquel started at second base for Chicago, filling in for Gordon Beckham, who bruised his right hand when he was hit by a pitch Monday. Guillen expects Beckham to be back as early as Friday's series opener in Boston. ... To make room for Ramirez, the White Sox optioned RHP Carlos Torres to Triple-A Charlotte. ... Indians RHP Carlos Carrasco will be recalled from Triple-A Columbus on Wednesday to start the series finale. It will be Carrasco's first appearance in 2010 with Cleveland, which acquired him last year in the deadline deal with Philadelphia for Cliff Lee. Carrasco went 0-4 last season with an 8.87 ERA in five starts. ... LaPorta had missed Cleveland's previous two games after straining his hip, which he had surgery on in October.

[Associated Press; By TOM WITHERS]

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