LDN - Sports

Rodon strikes out 11 as White Sox blank Indians

[September 26, 2016] CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Indians were getting ready to celebrate, but the Chicago White Sox were in no mood to party.

"They're going to win (the division), but we didn't want to be around to see it. Now they have to do it on the road," said White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier.

Carlos Rodon allowed two hits and struck out 11 in eight innings as the White Sox posted a 3-0 victory over the Indians on Sunday at Progressive Field.

Rodon (8-10) walked three and threw 108 pitches as the White Sox ruined Cleveland's chance to clinch the Central Division title at home. An Indians' win and a loss by Detroit to Kansas City would have clinched the division title. As it is, the Indians' magic number for clinching the division is at one, but they will play their seven remaining games on the road.

"He's a horse," said Chicago manager Robin Ventura of Rodon. "There was a lot on the line for the guys on the other side, but Carlos had his mind set. He went out there with a purpose. Against a lineup that's been able to rough us up, but he responded."

David Robertson pitched the ninth to earn his 36th save. Rodon and Robertson struck out eight of the last nine Indians' hitters to end the game.

Cleveland starter Josh Tomlin (12-9) pitched well, but took the loss. Tomlin allowed two runs, one earned, in 6 2/3 innings with one strikeout and no walks.

"It's disappointing," Tomlin said. "We'd rather do it here than on the road, but we ran into a pretty good pitcher who had all his stuff working. Sometimes you just have tough luck. Now we've got to go on the road and get it done."

Tomlin gave up an infield single to Tim Anderson to start the game, then retired the next 12 batters he faced. Chicago broke the scoreless tie by scoring a run in the fifth inning.

Frazier led off the top of the fifth with a single. He stole second and scored on a two-out single by Carlos Sanchez.

The stolen base was somewhat of a surprise, because Frazier is not known as a base stealer.

"He likes to take a walking lead, so I threw over there a lot, but the times I threw, he wasn't going," Tomlin said.

"He's a sneaky base stealer. It almost looks like a fan running out on the field. I don't know how he does it," Ventura said.

In the top of the seventh, Justin Morneau led off by reaching first base on an error by shortstop Michael Martinez.

Tomlin struck out Frazier, but Garcia singled to move Morneau to third. Omar Narvaez reached on an infield single to short, loading the bases with one out. Sanchez delivered a sacrifice fly to center field that scored J.B. Shuck, pinch running for Morneau at third, giving Chicago a 2-0 lead.

[to top of second column]

White Sox pinch runner J.B. Shuck (20) scores as Cleveland Indians catcher Chris Gimenez (38) loses the ball during the seventh inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Rodon dominated Cleveland hitters through most of the game.

"I was able to drive the ball down, and really attack hitters," he said.

"He was outstanding. That's the best we've seen him," Ventura said. "He threw strike one with authority, and got better as the game went on. He had it all."

Brandon Guyer led off the fifth inning with a single, the first hit allowed by Rodon. Guyer stole second, and Coco Crisp walked, putting runners at first and second with no outs.

A sacrifice bunt by Chris Gimenez moved the runners to second and third. But Martinez flied out to shallow right field, and Rodon struck out Rajai Davis to end the inning.

The White Sox made it 3-0 in the ninth on an RBI single by Narvaez off reliever Zach McAllister.

Denied a celebration in their final home game of the regular season, the Indians will try to close the deal Monday in Detroit,

"The itinerary says go to Detroit," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. "We go where they tell us and play who they tell us. So we'll go there and try to win."

NOTES: Indians SS Francisco Lindor, who had appeared in 153 of the Indians' first 154 games, was given a day off Sunday. Lindor is hitting .231 in September and he is hitless in his last 25 at-bats. ... With a week left in the season, the Indians are tied with Toronto for the American League lead in ERA at 3.81. The last time the Indians led the league in ERA was 2005. ... White Sox LHP Jose Quintana has started 30 games and pitched 200 innings for the fourth consecutive year. Quintana, Washington's Madison Bumgarner and Washington's Max Scherzer are the only pitchers in the majors who have pitched 200 innings with 30 starts in each of the last four years. ... White Sox RHP James Shields, who will start Monday vs. Tampa Bay, is 0-6 with an 8.25 ERA in his last 10 starts.

Back to top