Petricka gives up HR in 10th again for White Sox

MATT CARLSON
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — The White Sox and reliever Jake Petricka were beaten in the 10th inning for the second straight game.

Zach Walters hit a two-run home run in the 10th, lifting the Cleveland Indians to an 8-6 victory over the sliding White Sox on Tuesday night, handing Chicago its season-high seventh straight loss.

Pinch-hitter Lonnie Chisenhall doubled to lead off the inning against Petricka (0-4), and after failing to sacrifice Chisenhall to third, Walters hit a 3-2 pitch well into the right-field bleachers to give the Indians the lead.

Petricka has given up only three homers all season, but has served up game-winners in the 10th in consecutive games. Yankees pinch-hitter Brian McCann lined three-run walk-off shot with two outs in the 10th Sunday to give New York a 7-4 victory.

“I think it’s location,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “He has everything velocity-wise and the stuff, but he’s been a bit erratic.”

The White Sox bullpen has struggled all season, but Petricka was showing signs of rounding into form. The 6-foot-5 right-hander leads Chicago with nine saves.

“When he was going, he was pounding the zone, getting ahead early, being able to use his off-speed stuff,” Ventura said. “The guys at this level, when you’ve got to lay it in there and throw a fastball, it doesn’t matter how hard you throw.”

Bryan Shaw (5-3) pitched 2 1-3 scoreless innings in relief for the win, keeping Cleveland 5 1/2 games behind Kansas City in the AL Central.

The Indians’ usually sturdy rotation had an off night. Cleveland’s starters entered the night with a 2.57 ERA since Aug. 1, but got only 4 2-3 innings from T.J. House, who squandered a 3-0 first-inning lead and gave up five runs, including Alexei Ramirez’s fifth-inning home run.

Despite that, Cleveland won its third straight, moved to a season-high four games above .500 and kept pace in the tightly bunched hunt for an AL wild-card spot.

“We know exactly where we are and we know that we have to turn it on at this moment in time if we expect to catch anyone — whether it’s the wild card or the division,” House said.

Chicago didn’t get much from starter Jose Quintana, who went five innings and allowing six earned runs to match a season-high. His ERA also rose from 3.25 to 3.48 as he got his 11th no-decision of the year and major league-leading 38th since the start of the 2012 season.

“I felt a little upset with myself because I got pretty good support tonight,” Quintana said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: OF Moises Sierra (strained left oblique) went 1 for 4 in his second game of a rehab assignment at Triple-A Charlotte.

Indians: C Yan Gomes (seven-day concussion disabled list) worked out with the team Tuesday and manager Terry Francona expects him to be ready Friday when he’s eligible to return.

UP NEXT

Indians RHP Corey Kluber (13-7, 2.46 ERA) starts Wednesday against Chicago’s Hector Noesi (7-8, 4.39 ERA). Kluber is 3-1 with a 3.51 ERA in eight games against the White Sox, including his May 4 start against Chicago when he struck out a career-high 13 and set a Cleveland record by fanning seven straight.

BUSY SCHEDULE

Starting Tuesday, the Indians play 30 games in 30 days. Francona isn’t worried about the impact of the schedule and is welcoming the rush of games. “Days off are great,” he said, “but we need to play.”

SLOW DOWN

White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said top prospect Carlos Rodon’s next start will be Saturday at Triple-A Charlotte, not Saturday in Chicago when they face the Tigers in a doubleheader. Rodon, 21, was the third overall pick and is the first player drafted this year to reach Triple-A.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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