Pierre lifts White Sox over Indians in 14th inning

[August 17, 2011]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Juan Pierre doesn't hit many home runs, so when he hit one, he couldn't wait to brag about it.

Pierre had to wait 10 innings to brag after his fourth-inning shot, and it wasn't even his most important hit of the night.

Pierre hit a game-ending single in the 14th inning to cap a wild, five-hour marathon as the Chicago White Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 8-7 on Tuesday night.

Gordon Beckham doubled off Chad Durbin (2-2) with one out in the final inning, advancing to third on Brent Morel's infield single.

David Huff relieved Durbin to face Pierre, who singled to left to win it.

"We just battled and they battled. You expect to do that when you're in the hunt like that," Pierre said. "It's a big victory. Being out there so long, it would have been tough to come in after a loss. It's a big win."

Pierre hit a solo home run off of Cleveland starter Ubaldo Jimenez in the fourth. It was his second homer of the season and 16th in his 12-year career.

"He started me off with fastballs in the previous at-bat. I was just looking for a fastball. I never try to hit a home run, so I was just trying to put it in play hard and just hit it in the right spot," he said. "I'm kind of hoarse from screaming around the bases. I have to act like I've at least done it somewhat. That's 16 career now? Twenty is in sight now, 20's in sight."

Jason Frasor (3-2) worked the top of the inning to earn the victory.

"We had our chances," said Indians manager Manny Acta. "We had the bases loaded and one of our best hitters at the plate and we couldn't get it done. You have to give credit to Jesse Crain."

Crain worked two scoreless innings, including escaping a bases-loaded, one out jam in the 13th.

The White Sox have won nine of 11 and remain 3 1/2 games behind the American League Central-leading Detroit Tigers. The loss drops the second-place Indians to three games back.

Cleveland rallied to tie the game in the ninth on a pair of defensive miscues by the White Sox. After Sergio Santos issued a one-out walk, Michael Brantley dropped a single in front of center fielder Alex Rios, who had just come in as a defensive replacement.

With runners on first and third, Shin-soo Choo tapped a slow roller to second base. Beckham thought about throwing home but hesitated and dropped the ball. He was only able to get a force out at second, allowing the tying run to score.

It was Santos' fourth blown save in 29 chances this year.

De Aza tripled in runs in the second and sixth. He became the first White Sox player to triple twice in a game since Alex Cintron on April 13, 2006.

Paul Konerko extended his hit streak to 12 games with four more hits. After doubling in the fifth, Konerko tagged up at second and slid into third on Carlos Quentin's flyout to center, later scoring on Alexei Ramirez's triple.

The White Sox captain has been hobbled by his left knee since being hit by a pitch on July 31 against Boston. He has been unable to play in the field but has hit in every game since returning to action on Aug. 4.

Tyler Flowers and Rios also tripled for the White Sox, who tallied five three-baggers in one game for the first time since Sept. 17, 1920 against the New York Yankees. The club record is six triples, a feat achieved three different times. The White Sox had just eight triples on the year coming into the game.

"How many of those triples scored?" asked manager Ozzie Guillen.

Only two.

Rios tripled to lead off the 11th, but the White Sox stranded him on third.

The White Sox set a season-high with 22 hits, but stranded 16 men on base, going 9 for 25 with runners in scoring position.

Gavin Floyd struck out nine over 5 2-3 innings. He allowed five runs on five hits. He retired the first nine batters he faced, including seven strikeouts. He struck out the side in the second.

Jiminez allowed five runs, four earned, on nine hits over 4 2-3 innings, throwing 105 pitches. He struck out five and walked one.

NOTES: Indians LHP Tony Sipp was ejected in the 10th for arguing a controversial call after being removed from the game. ... The White Sox placed C A.J. Pierzynski (fractured left wrist) on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Aug. 13, and purchased the contract of C Donny Lucy from Triple-A Charlotte. Chicago requested waivers for the purpose of granting RHP Brian Bruney his unconditional release after he cleared waivers and rejected an outright assignment to Triple-A. ... Indians OF Grady Sizemore (knee/sports hernia) ran on a treadmill on Tuesday and is scheduled to do so again on Thursday. Cleveland hopes he will progress to land-based running by the time the team returns home on Aug. 22. ... Indians INF Jason Kipnis (side) was out of the lineup for the second straight game but was available to pinch-hit according to manager Manny Acta. ... LHP Mark Buehrle (10-5, 3.06 ERA) takes the mound for the White Sox in the second game of the series on Wednesday. The lefty has allowed three runs or less in 18 straight starts. Cleveland sends RHP Fausto Carmona (5-12, 5.12) to the hill. Carmona has allowed 18 runs in eight innings in his two starts against the White Sox this season (0-2).

[Associated Press]

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