Indians hold off late White Sox rally, win 9-7

[August 13, 2018]  Melky Cabrera went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs, and the Cleveland Indians held on for a 9-7 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Jason Kipnis and Yandy Diaz drove in two runs apiece for the Indians, who erupted for 14 hits. Cleveland claimed the series and has won seven of its last nine games.

Adam Engel tripled, homered and drove in three runs for Chicago. Yolmer Sanchez also homered for the White Sox, who rallied with four runs in the ninth inning but fell short.

Indians right-hander Carlos Carrasco (14-6) earned his sixth win in his past seven decisions. He allowed one run on three hits in seven innings while walking none and striking out nine.

White Sox right-hander Dylan Covey (4-9) surrendered six runs on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out three, and his ERA ballooned from 5.58 to 6.06.

The Indians scored four runs in the first to establish an early advantage.

After Michael Brantley and Diaz each singled, Yonder Alonso drove in Brantley with a sharp single to left field. Up next, Cabrera capped the big inning with a three-run homer into the right field bleachers.

The blast marked Cabrera's second homer of the season. It was his second home run at Guaranteed Rate Field since the White Sox traded him to the Kansas City Royals before the 2017 trade deadline.

The White Sox cut the deficit to 4-1 in the bottom of the first on Daniel Palka's RBI groundout.

White Sox starting pitcher Dylan Covey (68) delivers the ball in the first inning against the Cleveland Indians at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland continued to batter Covey in the second. Kipnis and Diaz each singled to drive in one run apiece.

The Indians made it 7-1 in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Yan Gomes.

Cleveland added two more runs in the eighth as Kipnis and Diaz garnered RBI singles once again.

Engel and Sanchez hit solo home runs in the eighth to make the score 9-3. Engel also provided a defensive highlight with a leap above the right-center field wall to rob Alonso of a homer in the top of the eighth.

Tim Anderson and Kevan Smith hit RBI singles in the ninth before Engel capped the scoring with a two-run triple. Cleveland reliever struck out Nicky Delmonico and Sanchez to end the game and get his 23rd save.

--Field Level Media

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