Former Chicago White Sox catcher Joel Skinner will rejoin the organization as their manager at Triple-A Charlotte.

Skinner, who played for the Sox from 1983 to 1986, was the bench coach for Oakland last season after spending 10 seasons on Cleveland’s coaching staff.

Skinner, 50, managed six years in the Indians’ system and led his team to the playoffs five times. Skinner takes over for Joe McEwing, who was promoted as the Sox’s third base coach.

Tim Laker, who was Charlotte’s hitting coach last year, will take over as the minor league hitting coordinator. He replaces Jeff Manto, now the Sox’s hitting coach.

Andy Tomberlin moves up from Double-A Birmingham to become the hitting coach at Charlotte.

Brandon Moore rejoins the Sox’s organization as Birmingham’s hitting coach. Moore, 39, was an infielder in the Sox’s system from 1994 to 2000. He spent the past 11 seasons as a hitting coach, most recently in the Pittsburgh organization.

Here are the 2012 minor league staff assignments:

Buddy Bell – Director of Player Development

Nick Capra – Field Coordinator

Kirk Champion, Curt Hasler  – Pitching coordinators

Tim Laker – Hitting Coordinator

Daryl Boston – Outfield Instructor

Ever Magallanes – Infield Instructor

John Orton – Catching Instructor

Devon White – Baserunning Instructor

Dale Torborg – Conditioning Coordinator

Scott Takao – Minor League Medical/Rehab. Coordinator

Geronimo Mendoza – Latin Culture Coordinator

Coaching Assistants – Robbie Cummings, Jerry Hairston, Chet DiEmidio

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That’s all the news for today.

CLEVELAND (AP)—Asdrubal Cabrera(notes) has become the Cleveland Indians’ best
offensive shortstop in more than 60 years.

Cabrera drove in five runs and Jeanmar Gomez(notes) won his fifth straight start
for Cleveland as the Indians beat the Chicago White Sox 11-2 on Thursday night
to remain in second place in the AL Central.

Cabrera hit a three-run homer and two-run single, tying his career-high for
RBIs and giving him 92 for the season. That’s the most by an Indians shortstop
since Hall of Famer Lou Boudreau drove in 106 on the way to winning AL MVP
honors and leading Cleveland to its last World Series title—in 1948.

“It’s remarkable what he’s been doing,” Indians manager Manny Acta said.
“What a night! This guy has been putting together some really good numbers.”

Cabrera’s seventh-inning homer put Cleveland ahead 8-2 and was his 25th of
the year, one more than the previous club record for a shortstop by Jhonny
Peralta(notes) in 2005.

“I’m excited and pretty happy about that,” said Cabrera, who entered this
year with 18 homers in 387 career games. “I don’t think too much about (getting
100 RBIs). I’ll just do the best I can and after the season see what numbers I
get.”

Travis Hafner(notes) reached a milestone number, too, singling for his 1,000th
career hit, and Kosuke Fukudome(notes) added three RBIs as Cleveland moved 1 1/2 games
ahead of the White Sox.

Hafner, in and out of the lineup due to a series of injuries the past four
seasons, was grateful for the fan ovation after being replaced by pinch-runner
Cord Phelps(notes) following his single.

“It was a very special moment,” Hafner said. “I never thought about it
until somebody said before the game I had 999. Then I thought about guys getting
3,000 hits. That’s 200 for 15 years, just mind-boggling.”

Gomez (5-2) gave up one earned run and four hits over six innings. Since
being recalled from Triple-A Columbus on Aug. 30, the right-hander is 5-0 with a
1.80 ERA.

“We’re not handing out jobs in September, but he’s put himself in the
mix,” Acta said of Gomez’s chances of joining the Indians’ rotation in 2012.
“He threw well.”

Fukudome’s two-out, two-run single off Philip Humber(notes) (9-9) in the fifth
inning broke a 2-2 tie.

Fukudome drove Humber’s second pitch of the game over the wall in right for
his fifth homer. Four pitches later, Jason Kipnis(notes) hit his seventh for a 2-0
lead.

“I have never had that happen to me, the first two batters of the game
going deep,” Humber said.

It was the fourth time in Indians history and only the second time at home
that Cleveland opened a game with two homers. Graig Nettles and Vada Pinson did
it on June 19, 1971, at old Cleveland Stadium.

An error by Cabrera at shortstop helped Chicago tie it at 2 in the fifth.

With two outs and runners on first and second, Juan Pierre(notes) singled home
Alejandro De Aza(notes). Cabrera took the throw from right fielder Fukudome and threw
wildly trying to get Brent Morel(notes) at third. Third baseman Jack Hannahan(notes) tracked
down the ball and fired home, but Morel slid in safely with an unearned run.

The White Sox almost caught a break in the bottom half. Humber had retired
14 straight until Hannahan drew a two-out walk and apparently scored on a
slicing drive down the left-field line by Ezequiel Carrera(notes) that looked like an
RBI triple. Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen argued that a fan reached over a
railing and touched the ball. The umpires huddled, agreed, and sent Hannahan
back to third, ruling that Carrera got a ground-rule double.

Fukudome’s soft line drive to left scored them both anyway.

Humber gave up seven runs and eight hits over six innings.

“He made a couple of bad pitches,” Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen said.
“He got ahead in the count and left a couple of balls up and it hurt him. Most
of the time he has been out there he has given us a chance to win.”

Notes: Chicago won the season series 11-7. … White Sox SS Omar Vizquel(notes) and
Cleveland DH Jim Thome(notes) exchanged the lineup cards—a first for both former
Indians teammates who have a combined 44 seasons and 5,388 games in the majors.
“I hope it’s not the last time we see these guys on the same field somewhere,”
Guillen said. “The next stop for both is the Hall of Fame, but they can still
play.” … The Indians will salute Thome on Friday for surpassing 600 career
homers and his other contributions. Before Thursday’s game, Acta said the
41-year-old Thome would start at DH in Hafner’s place Friday. “Even if Hafner
hits three homers tonight, Jimmy is playing,” Acta said. “Well, maybe three
homers would change my mind.” … The last time the Indians hit two homers to
open a game, Grady Sizemore(notes) and Casey Blake(notes) did it in Kansas City on May 23,
2007. … RHP Justin Masterson(notes) (12-10) will oppose RHP Carl Pavano(notes) (8-13) on
Friday night when Cleveland opens a four-game home series against Minnesota. …
The White Sox open a three-game series at home against Kansas City on Friday
with RHP Zach Stewart(notes) (2-5) facing Royals LHP Bruce Chen(notes) (11-8).

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CLEVELAND, Ohio — The White Sox gave the Indians fits throughout the season series. But the Tribe had plenty of fun at their expense in the finale Thursday night.

The Indians received quality performances from numerous players in posting an 11-2 victory at Progressive Field.

The Indians (77-78) lead the White Sox (76-80) by 1 1/2 games for second place in the AL Central behind champion Detroit.

Chicago won the season series, 11-7, including a 15-10 victory in the season opener April 1 in Cleveland. The closer was pretty much all Cleveland thanks in large part to:

• Asdrubal Cabrera. He hit a three-run homer and two-run single. The homer set a franchise single-season record by a shortstop (25).

• Kosuke Fukudome. He went 2-for-4 with a homer, a walk and three RBI. He also  made a diving catch.

• Jeanmar Gomez. He worked six strong innings to win his fifth straight start and improve to 5-2. Gomez gave up the two runs (one earned) on four hits — and looked good doing it. He ran his fastball in on lefties and had tight spin on his slider.

• Travis Hafner. He notched his 1,000th career hit and was responsible for two runs scored.

• Jason Kipnis. He followed Fukudome’s blast in the first with his own against White Sox righty Phil Humber, giving the Indians back-to-back homers to begin a first inning for just the fourth time in franchise history.

• Gomez allowed one hit through three — a two-out single up the middle by Tribe nemesis Juan Pierre in the third. It was Pierre’s 21st hit against Cleveland this season. The next batter, Alexei Ramirez, broke his bat and grounded to Gomez.

The White Sox scored two in the fifth to tie the score, 2-2. One of the runs was unearned because of Cabrera’s throwing error. Pierre — surprise — delivered an RBI single.

The Indians regained the advantage in their half of the fifth. Jack Hannahan drew a two-out walk and was speeding around the bases as Ezequiel Carrera lined a triple down the left-field line. As the ball kicked up into the railing, Hannahan scored easily.

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen argued that the play should have been ruled a ground-rule double and Hannahan returned to third. The umpires huddled and agreed.

Fukudome made sure it did not hurt Cleveland by dumping a single into left-center. Pierre and his pop-gun arm had no shot to throw out Carrera.

Hafner’s heads-up running helped make it 5-2 in the sixth. He tagged from second to third on a one-out fly ball, putting him in prime position to score on Matt LaPorta’s slow roller through the hole at second.

The Indians opened it up in the seventh. Cabrera hit a three-run homer, his 25th in 589 official at-bats. Cabrera set the franchise single-season record for homers by a shortstop, passing Jhonny Peralta, whose 24 came in 2005.

Last season, Cabrera hit three homers in 381 at-bats.

The next batter, Hafner, ripped a double to right-center — his 1,000th career hit. He received a standing ovation and was applauded again as he exited the field for pinch-runner Cord Phelps. Phelps scored on Grady Sizemore’s single.

Cabrera hit a two-run single in the eighth, matching his career-best. It is the fourth time this season that an Indian has driven in five runs in a game.

The Tribe bullpen worked three hitless innings.

Neither Indians DH Jim Thome nor White Sox infielder Omar Vizquel played, but they did exchange lineup cards before the game. 

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(Sports Network) – Jeanmar Gomez tries to continue his strong end to the
season this evening when the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox wrap up a
four-game set at Progressive Field.

Gomez won his fourth straight start since returning from Triple-A on Saturday
in Minnesota, as he held the Twins to a pair of runs and seven hits in 7 2/3
innings. He has given up just five runs in his last four starts and is 4-2 on
the year with a 3.78 earned run average.

Gomez beat the White Sox two starts ago in his only other appearance against
them, limiting them to two runs and six hits in six innings.

On Wednesday, Brent Morel went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and three RBI to
help Chicago to an 8-4 win.

Mark Buehrle (12-9) pitched six solid innings of two-run ball to snap a
personal three-game skid, as the White Sox won for the third time in four
contests after dropping seven in a row. He scattered four hits while fanning
two.

“Buehrle threw great,” said Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen. “I think he needed
that. The last couple of games were very rough for him. Having the type of
game he had today was a bounce-back for him.”

Ubaldo Jimenez (4-3) started strong with four scoreless innings, but allowed
four runs over the next three frames to absorb the loss. He surrendered six
hits while walking two and striking out seven.

“I feel bad myself because I want to push him, try to save our bullpen a
little bit and give him an opportunity to win the ballgame,” said Indians
manager Manny Acta. “He couldn’t do it, but I could have taken him out.”

Heading to the hill for the White Sox tonight will be righty Philip Humber,
who is 9-8 with a 3.59 ERA. Humber did not get a decision on Friday in Kansas
City, but did not pitch well, as he surrendered six runs (five earned) and
nine hits in six innings of a 7-6 loss.

Humber has yet to receive a decision in four games (two starts) against the
Indians, but has pitched to a 4.32 ERA in those outings.

Chicago has won 11 of its 17 matchups with the Indians this season. The White
Sox are also 10-2 in their last 12 games at Progressive Field.

The Sports Network

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By The Associated Press

CLEVELAND (AP) — Asdrubal Cabrera’s leadoff home run in the fourth broke a tie game, and the Cleveland Indians defeated the Chicago White Sox 4-3 on Tuesday in the first game of a day-night doubleheader.

Fausto Carmona (7-15) allowed three runs in six innings and won for the first time since Aug. 17.

Travis Hafner and Kosuke Fukudome also homered off Gavin Floyd (12-12), who hasn’t won since Aug. 29. Chicago has lost eight of its last nine games.

The teams, who were eliminated from the AL Central race last week when Detroit clinched the division, are battling for second place. The Indians lead the White Sox by 2½ games.

Hafner’s two-run homer in the first gave Cleveland the lead, but Chicago tied the game in the second on Adam Dunn’s RBI double and Alejandro De Aza’s run-scoring single.

Cabrera’s home run put Cleveland ahead and was his 24th of the season. Cabrera, who entered Saturday’s game against Minnesota in an 0-for-20 slump, has eight hits in his last 13 at-bats. He has homered in back-to-back games.

Fukudome homered with one out in the fifth.

Carmona struck out three and walked two. Relievers Joe Smith, Vinnie Pestano and Chris Perez, who recorded his 35th save, blanked Chicago over the final three innings.

Chicago’s first four hitters reached against Carmona in the second. Singles by A.J. Pierzynski and Alex Rios started the inning. Dunn, batting .165 when the game began, slapped a double down the third base line that scored Pierzynski. De Aza’s single to right tied the game.

De Aza added an RBI groundout in the sixth. Continued…

Gotta run!.

© Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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MINNEAPOLIS — Jake Peavy struck out a season-high nine and Alex Rios homered to help the Chicago White Sox to a 3-0 victory against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night.

Peavy (7-7) allowed four hits and walked two in 6 1/3 innings against a Twins team that had three players who were called up from Double-A in the last two days.

Alejandro De Aza had two hits, including a triple, and an RBI, and Sergio Santos picked up his 29th save for the White Sox, who have won three in a row and eight of 12.

Liam Hendriks (0-1) allowed three runs and four hits over seven innings in his major league debut. Chris Parmelee had two hits in his first game as a pro, but the Twins lost for the 14th time in 17 games.

Paul Konerko, who hasn’t hit a homer in his last 60 at-bats, got a much-needed day off, but the White Sox still managed to scratch together enough offense for Peavy. Brent Morel added an RBI single as the Sox beat the Twins for the eighth time in the past nine games in the series.

The White Sox are in the middle of a stretch of 28 straight games against the AL Central, but they only have three games left against division-leading Detroit. The Tigers beat the Indians 10-1 on Tuesday night, keeping the White Sox eight games back. Full Story

Tigers 10, Indians 1

CLEVELAND — Victor Martinez and the Detroit Tigers are taking nothing for granted. That attitude has them rolling over their closest challengers.

Martinez drove in three runs and the Tigers beat Cleveland to drop the Indians 8½ games back in the AL Central.

While the Tigers have not yet secured their first division title since winning the AL East in 1987, they are closing in on the Central crown after pushing around both the Indians and Chicago White Sox.

Detroit has won five straight and is 15-4 since Aug. 19. The Tigers arrived in Cleveland following a three-game series sweep against Chicago and now have won their last six meetings with the Indians after the Tribe took six of the first eight.

Mariners 2, Angels 1

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Felix Hernandez pitched eight innings of four-hit ball to win at Angel Stadium for the first time since 2006, and the Seattle Mariners snapped a five-game skid and slowed the Los Angeles Angels’ playoff surge with a victory.

Justin Smoak and Kyle Seager scored unearned runs for the Mariners, who had lost 18 of their last 21 games at Angel Stadium before Hernandez (14-11) outdueled Ervin Santana and silenced the Angels’ improved lineup for his sixth victory in eight starts.

Alberto Callaspo drove in an unearned run for the Angels, who committed four errors and dropped 3½ games behind Texas in the AL West standings. The loss was just the Angels’ second at home since Aug. 17.

The Rangers pounded Tampa Bay 8-0 earlier Tuesday. Los Angeles was a season-high 13 games over .500 after Monday’s win over the Mariners, but still faces an uphill climb in the regular season’s final three weeks to make the playoffs for the seventh time in 10 seasons.

Royals 7, Athletics 4

OAKLAND, Calif. — Eric Hosmer and Jeff Francoeur hit back-to-back home runs in the second inning, Danny Duffy won for the first time in more than a month and Kansas City beat Oakland for the second successive game.

Salvador Perez added three hits while six players drove in runs for the Royals, who have scored 29 runs in their past three road games.

Jemille Weeks had three hits and two RBI for Oakland, which has dropped two straight after sweeping Seattle over the weekend.

Duffy (4-8) allowed only four hits and had four strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings in what is likely his final start of the year. Joakim Soria worked the ninth for his 26th save.

Gio Gonzalez (12-12) gave up a career-high 10 hits and walked three for the A’s.

Reds 4, Cubs 2 (13)

CHICAGO — Joey Votto hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the 13th inning and the Cincinnati Reds rebounded after blowing a two-run lead in the ninth.

Reds starter Mike Leake was closing in on his first career shutout and was one out away from a one-hitter when Starlin Castro reached on a two-out single and pinch-hitter Bryan LaHair drove a 2-0 pitch over the wall in right for Chicago’s third hit of the game and his first home run since Sept. 20, 2008, for the Seattle Mariners.

Leake bent over on the front of the mound as LaHair rounded the bases with the tying shot, but the Reds eventually recovered for their third win in nine games.

Dave Sappelt hit a leadoff double against John Grabow (3-1) in the 13th inning and Votto followed with his second run-scoring double of the game. Miguel Cairo added a two-out RBI single to make it 4-2.

Astros 4, Pirates 1

PITTSBURGH — Brett Myers pitched into the eighth inning to earn his first victory in 2½ months.

Myers (4-13) allowed one run and four hits over 7 2/3 innings at soggy, chilly PNC Park as last-place Houston snapped a four-game losing streak. The right-hander had lost seven consecutive decisions since he pitched a four-hitter in a 7-3 victory at the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 17.

Humberto Quintero had three RBI and Jimmy Paredes finished with three hits for the Astros, who have four of their last five against Pittsburgh but are 2-9 in their past 11 against everyone else.

Ryan Doumit hit a home run for Pittsburgh, which has lost two of three and seven of 10.

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Updated Aug 26, 2011 1:00 AM ET

Twins designated hitter Jim Thome was claimed on waivers by the Indians and has accepted a trade to Cleveland.

Meanwhile, outfielder Jason Kubel was claimed by the Chicago White Sox, according to major-league sources.

A claim does not mean that a player will change teams. The Twins still can keep Kubel.

Thome spent 12 seasons with Cleveland from 1991 to 2002, hitting a team-record 334 homers and helping the Indians get to two World Series. He hit 52 in his final season before signing as a free agent with Philadelphia, a decision that angered many Indians fans who will have to welcome him back.

”He’s excited,” Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said. ”He’s fired up to come back and join the team. I am hopeful and confident that fans will embrace him wearing an Indians uniform again. He’s not only an exceptional player but a person as well. Even if he wasn’t a person that hit 600 home runs, he’s just a great person.”

Thome holds a full no-trade clause and could have rejected any deal. He prefered the Phillies to the Indians, one source said, but it’s doubtful he could circumvent the waiver process to land with Philadelphia.

Kubel, meanwhile, is unlikely to be traded, sources said. The Twins likely would offer him arbitration in an attempt to re-sign him, and would want the equivalent of at least a high draft pick in return. The Twins must decide on Kubel by 1 p.m. ET Friday.

The Indians are six games out in the AL Central, the White Sox 6 1/2 out. Thome may fit well in Cleveland. The Indians are without designated hitter Travis Hafner, who is on the disabled list with a strained right foot.

”We will have to manage his playing time,” Antonetti said. ”He’s certainly not an everyday player at this point. We’ll work with Jim on this. We’d like to have him out there to impact the team as often as we can. Every game for the team is meaningful. We are trying to win as many games as possible and we’ll see where that takes us.”

The White Sox are missing right fielder Carlos Quentin, who is battling a shoulder problem.

The only way for Thome could have gotten to the Phillies would be if the Twins pulled him off trade waivers and placed him on release waivers. Thome could then have rejected every team that claimed him but the Phillies.

Such a ploy, however, would have required Thome to forfeit the rest of his salary, about $500,000. It also would have required the cooperation of the Twins, who would receive nothing in return for their popular slugger.

Rival clubs almost certainly would have protested such a manipulation of the waiver process. Thome, who recently hit his 600th home run, might even have suffered a hit to his image.

”There’s no question it’s a bittersweet deal,” Twins GM Bill Smith said. ”But there’s also no question this is the right thing to do for Jim Thome.

”He is all the superlative things that we knew we were getting when he came here two years ago. At this point in his Hall-of-Fame career, this is the right thing for him.”

Kubel, who is owed about $900,000, has talked with the Twins about a possible contract extension. Both he and Thome are eligible for free agency at the end of the season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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The Chicago White Sox lost a key game against another AL Central contender, and they were feeling pretty lucky.

White Sox starter Phil Humber was hit in the face by Kosuke Fukudome’s liner in the second inning of a 4-2 loss to the Cleveland Indians on Thursday, sending a chill through the ballpark.

“I saw it, but a little too late though,” Humber said. “I’m not as quick as I thought.”

Humber was struck with one out. He fell to the ground as the ball bounded back to catcher Flowers.

“I was running to the dugout looking for towels, that’s what my first impression was,” manager Ozzie Guillen said. “There’s a lot of things that go through your mind, just how lucky we are and how lucky he is.”

Humber stood up immediately after the play ended and appeared to be alert as the club’s medical staff checked on him, but was removed after a short delay. He lobbied to remain in the game.

“When you get hit like that in that spot, it was unfair to leave him in there to try to pitch,” Guillen said. “I think we did the right thing to get him out of there.”

Humber was struck above the right eye and was removed as a precautionary measure. He will evaluated again on Friday, when it likely will be determined if he can make his next start.

“As of right now, I feel good,” Humber said. “Just got a little pop knot on my forehead. Other than that, I feel very fortunate.

“My wife was here, so obviously it’s upsetting for her. She told me the fans were very supportive and had a lot of kind things to say to her, so I appreciate that.”

Justin Masterson pitched six effective innings and Kosuke Fukudome had a tiebreaking RBI triple for Cleveland, which pulled within 1 1-2 games of idle Detroit for the division lead. Matt LaPorta hit a two-run homer.

The Tribe opens a three-game series against the Tigers on Friday.

“It was good,” Masterson said. “It was a much needed series. We wanted to take this final game. That’s kind of been our motto to try and win each series as we go out.”

Paul Konerko homered for the White Sox. Konerko, Adam Dunn and Omar Vizquel each had two hits, and Tyler Flowers singled in a run.

Masterson (10-7) allowed two runs and seven hits, struck out two and walked three. The 6-foot-6 right-hander improved to 2-2 with a 1.61 ERA in four starts against the White Sox this season.

The Indians won the last two games of their three-game series against the White Sox after losing seven of their first eight games against Chicago this season.

“They play good baseball against us,” Indians manager Manny Acta said. “They hit us around pretty good at the beginning of the year and they have played their best baseball against us.”

The White Sox loaded the bases with two out in the eighth, but Pestano struck out Gordon Beckham to end the inning. Beckham is 3 for 24 over his last six games, dropping his average to .238.

It was an ugly night for Beckham, who bounced into a fielder’s choice with a runner on to end the second, lined softly to the pitcher with two on to end the fourth, struck out looking with two on to end the sixth.

“I am worried about him because he is chasing a lot of pitches,” Guillen said. “When you’re a hitter and you’re (chasing) bad pitches, you’re going to put yourself in the hole. I know it’s not easy. I played this game before. I went through it. I was swinging at everything in my career as a player. But you have to lay off the high fastball.”

Konerko went deep in the third to give Chicago a 1-0 lead. Konerko’s 28th homer was just the sixth off Masterson in 173 innings this season.

Flowers’ RBI single in the fourth tied it at 2. He also had three walks and has reached base 11 times in over his last four starts in place of injured catcher A.J. Pierzynski.

Dunn singled twice for his first two-hit game since July 22. Dunn is hitting .333 in 36 at-bats against the Indians this season. He’s hitting .149 against everybody else.

The White Sox (61-62) dropped under .500 one night after missing out on a chance to leap over Cleveland in second place. After the game, though, everyone’s thoughts were still with Humber.

“That ball hit him in the right spot, put it that way,” Guillen said. “That ball could have been a couple of inches down and it could have been very, very ugly.”

NOTES: Indians rookie Jason Kipnis was expected to return to the lineup after missing three games with right side soreness, but was a late scratch because of tightness in his right hamstring. He was replaced at second base by Jason Donald. … Josh Tomlin will start Friday against Detroit’s Max Scherzer. Tomlin has gone at least five innings in each of his first 36 career starts, the only big league pitcher to do that since 1919. … The White Sox next play a three-game weekend series against AL West-leading Texas. Matt Harrison will face Chicago’s Jake Peavy in the opener. . Konerko’s home run was the 393rd of his career, tying Jim Edmonds for 52nd place. … OF Austin Kearns officially cleared waivers and was released outright by the Indians.

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CHICAGO (AP)—Juan Pierre(notes) doesn’t hit many home runs, so when he hit one,
he couldn’t wait to brag about it.

Pierre had to wait 10 innings to brag after his fourth-inning shot, and it
wasn’t even his most important hit of the night.

Pierre hit a game-ending single in the 14th inning to cap a wild, five-hour
marathon as the Chicago White Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 8-7 on Tuesday
night.

Gordon Beckham(notes) doubled off Chad Durbin(notes) (2-2) with one out in the final
inning, advancing to third on Brent Morel’s(notes) infield single.

David Huff(notes) relieved Durbin to face Pierre, who singled to left to win it.

“We just battled and they battled. You expect to do that when you’re in the
hunt like that,” Pierre said. “It’s a big victory. Being out there so long, it
would have been tough to come in after a loss. It’s a big win.”

Pierre hit a solo home run off of Cleveland starter Ubaldo Jimenez(notes) in the
fourth. It was his second homer of the season and 16th in his 12-year career.

“He started me off with fastballs in the previous at-bat. I was just
looking for a fastball. I never try to hit a home run, so I was just trying to
put it in play hard and just hit it in the right spot,” he said. “I’m kind of
hoarse from screaming around the bases. I have to act like I’ve at least done it
somewhat. That’s 16 career now? Twenty is in sight now, 20’s in sight.”

Jason Frasor(notes) (3-2) worked the top of the inning to earn the victory.

“We had our chances,” said Indians manager Manny Acta. “We had the bases
loaded and one of our best hitters at the plate and we couldn’t get it done. You
have to give credit to Jesse Crain(notes).”

Crain worked two scoreless innings, including escaping a bases-loaded, one
out jam in the 13th.

The White Sox have won nine of 11 and remain 3 1/2 games behind the American
League Central-leading Detroit Tigers. The loss drops the second-place Indians
to three games back.

Cleveland rallied to tie the game in the ninth on a pair of defensive
miscues by the White Sox. After Sergio Santos(notes) issued a one-out walk, Michael
Brantley(notes) dropped a single in front of center fielder Alex Rios(notes), who had just
come in as a defensive replacement.

With runners on first and third, Shin-soo Choo(notes) tapped a slow roller to
second base. Beckham thought about throwing home but hesitated and dropped the
ball. He was only able to get a force out at second, allowing the tying run to
score.

It was Santos’ fourth blown save in 29 chances this year.

De Aza tripled in runs in the second and sixth. He became the first White
Sox player to triple twice in a game since Alex Cintron(notes) on April 13, 2006.

Paul Konerko(notes) extended his hit streak to 12 games with four more hits. After
doubling in the fifth, Konerko tagged up at second and slid into third on Carlos
Quentin’s(notes) flyout to center, later scoring on Alexei Ramirez’s(notes) triple.

The White Sox captain has been hobbled by his left knee since being hit by a
pitch on July 31 against Boston. He has been unable to play in the field but has
hit in every game since returning to action on Aug. 4.

Tyler Flowers(notes) and Rios also tripled for the White Sox, who tallied five
three-baggers in one game for the first time since Sept. 17, 1920 against the
New York Yankees. The club record is six triples, a feat achieved three
different times. The White Sox had just eight triples on the year coming into
the game.

“How many of those triples scored?” asked manager Ozzie Guillen.

Only two.

Rios tripled to lead off the 11th, but the White Sox stranded him on third.

The White Sox set a season-high with 22 hits, but stranded 16 men on base,
going 9 for 25 with runners in scoring position.

Gavin Floyd(notes) struck out nine over 5 2-3 innings. He allowed five runs on five
hits. He retired the first nine batters he faced, including seven strikeouts. He
struck out the side in the second.

Jiminez allowed five runs, four earned, on nine hits over 4 2-3 innings,
throwing 105 pitches. He struck out five and walked one.

NOTES: Indians LHP Tony Sipp(notes) was ejected in the 10th for arguing a
controversial call after being removed from the game. … The White Sox placed C
A.J. Pierzynski(notes) (fractured left wrist) on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive
to Aug. 13, and purchased the contract of C Donny Lucy(notes) from Triple-A Charlotte.
Chicago requested waivers for the purpose of granting RHP Brian Bruney(notes) his
unconditional release after he cleared waivers and rejected an outright
assignment to Triple-A. … Indians OF Grady Sizemore(notes) (knee/sports hernia) ran
on a treadmill on Tuesday and is scheduled to do so again on Thursday. Cleveland
hopes he will progress to land-based running by the time the team returns home
on Aug. 22. … Indians INF Jason Kipnis(notes) (side) was out of the lineup for the
second straight game but was available to pinch-hit according to manager Manny
Acta. … LHP Mark Buehrle(notes) (10-5, 3.06 ERA) takes the mound for the White Sox in
the second game of the series on Wednesday. The lefty has allowed three runs or
less in 18 straight starts. Cleveland sends RHP Fausto Carmona(notes) (5-12, 5.12) to
the hill. Carmona has allowed 18 runs in eight innings in his two starts against
the White Sox this season (0-2).

That’s all for today.