Alexei Ramirez’s seventh-inning single broke the game’s final tie and led Chicago to a 5-4 win over the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night, giving the White Sox a split of the day-night doubleheader.

Asdrubal Cabrera’s solo home run and six strong innings from Fausto Carmona gave Cleveland a 4-3 win in the first game.

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 1 1/2 games.

Matt Thornton (2-5) pitched 1 1/3 innings for the win in the second game and Chris Sale went the final 1 2/3 innings for his seventh save.

Cleveland took a 4-3 lead into the seventh before Chicago rallied against rookie reliever Zach Putnam (0-1). Tyler Flowers started the rally with a single and took third on Gordon Beckham’s third double of the game. Juan Pierre’s groundout tied the game before Ramirez’s bloop single to center over a drawn-in infield gave Chicago the lead.

Both teams started rookies in the second game. Dylan Axelrod, making his second major-league start, allowed four runs in 4 2/3 innings for the White Sox while Zach McAllister, in his third big-league start, gave up two runs in 5 1-3 innings for the Indians.

Cleveland managed one hit off Axelrod through three innings before scoring four times in the fourth. Jim Thome’s RBI single gave Cleveland the lead. Matt LaPorta’s run-scoring double and sacrifice flies by Grady Sizemore and Jack Hannahan completed the scoring.

Singles by Jason Donald and Carlos Santana started the inning. Thome singled sharply past a diving Paul Konerko at first base to score Donald. After Shelley Duncan walked to load the bases, Sizemore’s fly ball to left was deep enough to score Santana.

LaPorta’s line drive to right was misjudged by Dayan Viciedo, who got a bad jump and broke back too late to make the catch. Hannahan’s fly ball to center scored the inning’s final run.

McAllister held the White Sox scoreless until the fifth when Beckham’s RBI double scored Chicago’s first run. Alejandro De Aza’s two-run double off Rafael Perez in the sixth cut the lead to one.

Cleveland’s pitchers hit three Chicago batters in the second game.

Cabrera strained his back while batting in the eighth inning of the first game and didn’t play in the second game.

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.

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.

NOTES: The first game was the makeup of a July 23 rainout at Progressive Field. … White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen says LHP Mark Buehrle will start Wednesday night. Buehrle (11-9, 3.74 ERA) has sore biceps after being hit with a ball in his last start. RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (4-2, 4.56) will start for the Indians. … Guillen played most of his regulars in Tuesday’s first game. … The White Sox are 9-6 against the Indians with three games to play in the season series. … Hannahan was a defensive replacement at third base in the eighth inning of the first game, his first appearance since straining his left calf Sept. 4. He started the second game. … C Lou Marson struck out in all three at-bats. … The Indians are playing nine games in seven days on their final homestand of the season. Cleveland played a makeup game with Seattle on Monday and will play another day-night doubleheader against Minnesota on Saturday. … The Indians recalled RHP Corey Kluber from Triple-A Columbus.

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…

Floyd gave up four runs and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings. He struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter.

Notes

* The game was the makeup of a July 23 rainout at Progressive Field.

* White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen says LHP Mark Buehrle will start Wednesday night. Buehrle (11-9, 3.74 ERA) has sore biceps after being hit with a ball in his last start. RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (4-2, 4.56) will start for the Indians.

* Guillen played most of his regulars in Tuesday’s first game. …

* The White Sox are 9-6 against the Indians with three games to play in the season series. …

* Indians 3B Jack Hannahan was a defensive replacement in the eighth inning, his first appearance since straining his left calf Sept. 4. …

* Lou Marson struck out in all three at-bats. …

* The Indians are playing nine games in seven days on their final homestand of the season. Cleveland played a makeup game with Seattle on Monday and will play another day-night doubleheader against Minnesota on Saturday. … The Indians recalled RHP Corey Kluber from Triple-A Columbus.

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.

Floyd gave up four runs and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings. He struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter.

Notes

* The game was the makeup of a July 23 rainout at Progressive Field.

* White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen says LHP Mark Buehrle will start Wednesday night. Buehrle (11-9, 3.74 ERA) has sore biceps after being hit with a ball in his last start. RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (4-2, 4.56) will start for the Indians.

* Guillen played most of his regulars in Tuesday’s first game. …

* The White Sox are 9-6 against the Indians with three games to play in the season series. …

* Indians 3B Jack Hannahan was a defensive replacement in the eighth inning, his first appearance since straining his left calf Sept. 4. …

* Lou Marson struck out in all three at-bats. …

* The Indians are playing nine games in seven days on their final homestand of the season. Cleveland played a makeup game with Seattle on Monday and will play another day-night doubleheader against Minnesota on Saturday. … The Indians recalled RHP Corey Kluber from Triple-A Columbus.

CHICAGO – Lonnie Chisenhall hit a pair of two-run homers and the Cleveland Indians beat the Chicago White Sox 8-4 on Friday night.

Chisenhall, Cleveland’s rookie third baseman, set career highs with his two homers and four RBIs and the Indians snapped a four-game losing streak.

Ezequiel Carrera, Kosuke Fukudome, Shelley Duncan and Lou Marson had two hits apiece for the Indians. Carrera and Fukudome each drove in two runs.

Jeanmar Gomez (3-2) allowed two runs and six hits over six innings and improved to 3-0 with a 0.52 ERA in three starts since being recalled from Triple-A Columbus on Aug. 30.

White Sox starter Mark Buehrle (11-8) had his second straight rough outing, allowing seven runs and eight hits over 5 2-3 innings.

After entering the game just 3 for 22 with two homers against lefties this season, Chisenhall homered twice against Buehrle, who has won more games than any other southpaw in baseball over the last decade except for the Yankees’ CC Sabathia.

Chisenhall got the Indians on the board first, launching a first-pitch, drive over the picnic area in right field. The homer snapped a streak of five homerless games by White Sox pitchers.

The rookie third baseman went deep on an 0-2 pitch in the sixth to almost the same area in right, putting Cleveland ahead 4-2. That gave Chisenhall his first two-homer game and his first game with more than two RBIs.

Chisenhall duplicated the feat of his White Sox counterpart, third baseman Brent Morel, who had his first multihomer game in Chicago’s 8-1 win on Thursday night. He’s now hit three homers over his last three games, doubling his season total.

The Indians’ tacked on three more runs in the decisive five-run sixth. Carrera singled in a run, chasing Buehrle. Fukudome then singled in two runs off reliever Will Ohman, with both runs charged to Chicago’s starter.

Buehrle gave up seven earned runs for the second straight start after giving up four runs or fewer each of his 21 previous starts.

In the third, Juan Pierre doubled home Gordon Beckham and scored on Paul Konerko’s sacrifice fly, drawing the White Sox even at 2-all.

Beckham had two hits and scored two runs for the White Sox.

NOTES: The Indians recalled 1B Matt LaPorta from Triple-A Columbus on Friday. LaPorta started 87 games for Cleveland this season before being optioned to Columbus on Aug. 30. The White Sox placed utility player Brent Lillibridge on the 15-day disabled list because of a fractured fifth metacarpal in his right hand, suffered when he was hit by a pitch on Thursday. Lillibridge is out for the season. Cleveland’s Fausto Carmona (6-14) will take the hill on Saturday, looking to improve on the 10.47 ERA he’s posted in three starts against Chicago this season. He’ll oppose Phil Humber, who threw seven scoreless innings against Minnesota in his last start, his first after coming off the disabled list.

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.

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.

CHICAGO — Justin Masterson and the Cleveland Indians picked up a key game against another AL Central contender and gained some momentum for their key series at division-leading Detroit.

Not a bad day, at all.

Masterson pitched six effective innings, Kosuke Fukudome had a tiebreaking RBI triple and the Indians inched closer to the top of the division with a 4-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.

Matt LaPorta hit a two-run homer for Cleveland, which pulled within 1 1-2 games of idle Detroit. 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, which lost starter Phil Humber on a scary play in the second inning. 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.

“Masterson had good stuff,” Indians manager Manny Acta said. “He just battled a little bit through the six innings and got his pitch count up. But his stuff was so good that still whenever he got in trouble he could get away with it, made some pitches and gave us six solid innings. After that our bullpen again was huge.”

Rafael Perez and Joe Smith combined to finish the seventh, Vinnie Pestano got out of a jam in the eighth and Chris Perez finished for his 27th save in 30 chances.

Humber was struck in the face by Fukudome’s comebacker with one out in the second inning. He fell to the ground as the ball bounded back to catcher Flowers.

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

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,” White Sox manager Ozzie 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.”

The Indians won the last two games of the 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,” Acta said. “They hit us around pretty good at the beginning of the year and they have played their best baseball against us.”

Fukudome played a key role in Cleveland’s decisive rally in the sixth. After Shin-Soo Choo led off with an infield single, Fukudome tripled into the right-field corner against Will Ohman (0-3) to give the Indians a 3-2 lead.

Fukudome, acquired in a July trade with the crosstown Cubs, came home later in the inning when Asdrubal Cabrera drew a two-out walk against Jason Frasor on a 3-2 pitch with the bases loaded.

“I think I’m definitely getting used to it (playing for Cleveland) and also I have at-bats when the team has a chance to score so I just try to be aggressive,” Fukudome said through an interpreter.

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 and 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.

LaPorta responded with a two-run drive on an 0-2 pitch from rookie Zach Stewart with two out in the fourth.

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 Indians can regain first place with a good series this weekend. Masterson is grateful they won’t have to watch the out-of-town scoreboard.

“We can’t worry about who else is losing or whatever,” Masterson said. “If we take care of what we can, win our games as we go out, that’s going to speak for itself. We don’t have to worry about anyone else, just go out and beat our opponent.”

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.