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 Vinnie Pestano is on the move -- to the minors.
As reporters spoke to Ryan Raburn, whose pinch-hit, two-run single in the eighth inning rallied the Indians to their sixth straight win, 7-4 over the freefalling Chicago White Sox, Pestano, the club's popular setup man, stood near his locker with a stunned look on his face.
Several of Pestano's teammates approached the right-hander, who stopped packing his bags to share hugs with Chris Perez, Jason Giambi and others. Asked what was going on, Pestano told reporters to speak with manager Terry Francona or general manager Chris Antonetti.
Pestano will be optioned Wednesday to Triple-A Columbus, a somewhat stunning move for the Indians, who acquired left-hander Marc Rzepczynski from St. Louis before the game. Pestano has struggled this season -- 1-2 with a 4.05 ERA in 34 games -- and had one stint on the disabled list but had been pitching better lately.
Antonetti hinted the Indians may make another move before Wednesday's deadline, saying before the game that "there's a lot that can happen in the next 24 hours."
In the meantime, the Indians are rolling. They moved 10 games over .500 and won their ninth straight at Progressive Field.
Raburn, batting for Jason Giambi, who won Monday night's game with a pinch-hit homer in the ninth, singled off Matt Lindstrom with two outs as the Indians stormed back and won for the 11th time in 15 games.
"I got a pitch I was able to do something with and was able to get a hit up the middle," said Raburn, downplaying his latest clutch hit.
Raburn is batting .349 (22 of 63) with 22 RBIs with two outs. He's also hitting .462 (12 of 26) with four homers and 19 RBIs with runners in scoring position this season.
"I'm just trying to get a good pitch to hit, not try to do too much," said Raburn, who signed with the Indians as a free agent after a rough 2012 season with Detroit. "You have to realize the pressure is on the pitcher to get an out so you just go up there and battle. It's one of those things where I couldn't do nothing right last year but now I almost can't do nothing wrong."
Yan Gomes added a two-run single in the eighth as the Indians stayed within 2 1-2 game of first-place Detroit in the AL Central.
The Indians were in danger of losing to Brazilian rookie Andre Rienzo in his debut before coming back against Donnie Veal (1-2), who started the eighth.
Cleveland's comeback spoiled a solid outing by Rienzo, who started in place of Jake Peavy. Rienzo, the first Brazilian-born player to pitch in the major leagues, did not allow an earned
run and allowed only five hits in seven innings.
"It was fun seeing him pitch," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "The end stunk but he did well."
Bryan Shaw (2-2) got one out in the eighth and closer Chris Perez worked the ninth for his 15th save -- and ninth straight.
Rienzo was recalled earlier in the day from the minors as the White Sox pushed back Peavy's start one day in case they were able to trade him before Wednesday's deadline. They worked out a deal late Tuesday night, sending Peavy to the Boston Red Sox as part of a three-team deal that included the Tigers.
In exchange for Peavy, Chicago received outfielder Avisail Garcia from Detroit as well as minor league infielder Cleulius Rondon and pitchers Francelis Montas and Jeffery Wendelken from the Red Sox.
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Adam Dunn drove in two runs for the White Sox, who dropped 24 games under .500 for the first time since Sept. 29, 1989.
Trailing 4-3, the Indians scored four runs in the eighth.
Veal gave up a one-out single to Asdrubal Cabrera, and one out later, Carlos Santana singled. Pinch-runner Drew Stubbs stole second before Raburn, who has been clutch all season for Francona, singled to center off Lindstrom to make it 5-4. After Lonnie Chisenhall singled, Gomes came through with his double.
With Peavy in waiting mode before he was traded, Rienzo gave the White Sox a glimpse of their future.
The right-hander seemed unfazed in facing one of baseball's hottest teams. He was only in trouble once, when the Indians scored three times in the fifth to tie it. But Rienzo quickly shook it off and was in position to get a win before the Indians came back against Chicago's bullpen.
Along with dangling Peavy, the White Sox have reportedly shopped outfielder Alex Rios. He left in the eighth after fouling a pitch off his left foot. Rios will undergo X-rays, but he doesn't believe the injury is serious.
The White Sox took a 4-3 lead in the sixth on Dayan Viciedo's two-out RBI single.
Cleveland starter Scott Kazmir allowed four runs and nine hits in five-plus innings.
Staked to a 3-0 lead, Rienzo looked poised while making history as Brazil's first big-league pitcher.
In the third, he faced Indians catcher and fellow countryman Gomes, who dribbled a single through the middle for Cleveland's second hit. Once he reached first, the Indians catcher shared a smile with Rienzo, who moments later tried to pick his friend from Brazil's national team off the bag.
Rienzo showed his full repertoire in the fourth, striking out Nick Swisher, All-Star Jason Kipnis and Cabrera on just 11 pitches. He started off Cabrera with two curves before blowing a high fastball past Cleveland's shortstop.
However, Rienzo was hurt by two walks in the fifth, when the Indians scored three unearned runs to tie it 3-all.
The White Sox gave Rienzo an early cushion, scoring two runs in the first and one in the second to take some pressure him.
Dunn hit a two-out, two-run double in the first as Chicago ended Cleveland's streak of scoring first at 16 games, a franchise record.
In the second, Gordon Beckham ended a 0-for-20 slide with a one-out double and scored when Josh Phegley ended a 0-for-14 slump with an RBI single.
NOTES: Giambi was awed to learn his homer Monday was historic. The 42-year-old passed Hank Aaron as the oldest player to ever hit a walk-off homer. "That's pretty unbelievable," Giambi said of breaking Aaron's mark. "It's unfathomable. I'm just grateful, and I thank God I'm still playing, to have this opportunity to be here." Giambi was 45 days older than Aaron, who hit his 754th career homer on July 11, 1976, for Milwaukee. ... Indians RHP Josh Tomlin, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery last August, is ahead of schedule. Francona said it's "possible" Tomlin could pitch for Cleveland in September.
[Associated
Press; By TOM WITHERS]
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