Beckham helps White Sox beat Indians 7-2

[May 02, 2012]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Gordon Beckham snapped out of a slump with three hits and the Chicago White Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 7-2 on Tuesday.

Beckham was mired in 0-for-10 slide and was batting just .153 before he belted a solo homer in the third to give Chicago a 2-1 lead on a rainy, overcast night at U.S. Cellular Field. He also singled in a run in the fifth.

A.J. Pierzynski also had a solo homer for Chicago, which is 3-0 against Cleveland this season. Chris Sale (3-1) allowed one run and three hits in six crisp innings.

Shelley Duncan connected for Cleveland, snapping the team's 11-game homerless streak.

Steady rain postponed the start by 56 minutes but storms had passed through by early evening and the game started under cloudy, but dry conditions.

Beckham sparked a four-run inning with his leadoff drive on a 3-1 pitch from Ubaldo Jimenez. Paul Konerko made it 3-1 with a bases-loaded walk, Alex Rios drove in a run with a fielder's choice and Dayan Viciedo had an RBI infield single.

Jimenez (2-2) issued six walks in 4 2-3 innings, and was charged with seven runs, four earned, and eight hits.

Duncan hit a solo drive off Will Ohman in the seventh. He also doubled and scored on Jason Kipnis' two-out double in the second, giving Cleveland a 1-0 lead.

Pierzynski then hit his fifth homer in the bottom half, driving an 0-2 pitch over the wall in right.

The Indians loaded the bases in the ninth, but Hector Santiago got Lou Marson to ground out to end the game.

Duncan and Kipnis each had two hits for the Tribe.

New Cleveland outfielder Johnny Damon joined the team in Chicago on Tuesday and is likely to be in Wednesday's lineup.

"The plan was for him to spend a day with his teammates here, take batting practice and then start the game tomorrow," Indians manager Manny Acta said.

The Indians announced they had purchased Damon's contract on Tuesday and made roster room by designating infielder Jose Lopez for assignment.

Now in his 18th major league season, Damon has 2,723 hits and a .286 career batting average. He is ranked third among active players in runs scored (1,643).

The 38-year-old Damon, who signed with the Indians last month, has spent the last few weeks at the club's facility in Goodyear, Ariz.

NOTES: Indians RHP Josh Tomlin (1-2, 5.48 ERA) is scheduled to pitch Wednesday's Game 2 against Philip Humber (1-1, 4.66 ERA). Humber threw a perfect game on April 21 against Seattle and was the loser in a 10-3 setback against Boston last week.

[Associated Press]

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