ChiSox Shut Out Indians for Second Night

The Cleveland Indians were poised to make a run entering the two-game series with the Chicago White Sox, having hit 21 homers and scored 52 runs in their previous six games. Now, that's 52 runs in

Thursday, July 22nd 2004, 5:54 am

By: News On 6

The Cleveland Indians were poised to make a run entering the two-game series with the Chicago White Sox, having hit 21 homers and scored 52 runs in their previous six games. Now, that's 52 runs in eight games after Chicago shut out the Indians on Thursday for the second night in a row.

Freddy Garcia threw seven shutout innings in the White Sox's 3-0 win. A night earlier, Mark Buehrle faced the minimum 27 batters in a two-hitter.

Garcia, acquired by the White Sox for a playoff push, outpitched Indians ace C.C. Sabathia, who gave up seven hits in seven innings. Carl Everett had two RBI singles.

``My team needed me to go out and throw a shutout,'' Sabathia said. ``I feel like I didn't do a good enough job against Freddy. He was dealing. Everybody knew how important these games were and we probably pressed a little. But we faced two great pitchers, too.''

Cleveland was shut out in consecutive games for the first time since April 27-28, 1993, at Seattle. The Indians had not been shut out at home in two straight games since 1991.

In Thursday's other AL games, it was New York 1, Toronto 0; Baltimore split a doubleheader with Boston, winning 8-3 and losing 4-0 in the second game; Seattle 4, Oakland 2; Kansas City 13, Detroit 7; Minnesota 7, Tampa Bay 5; and Anaheim 11, Texas 1.

Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen signaled for the wrong reliever in the eighth. He wanted left-hander Damaso Marte to face Travis Hafner, but first base umpire Joe West thought Guillen signaled with his right hand, and walked to the bullpen to escort right-hander Cliff Politte to the mound instead.

After Guillen argued briefly with West, Politte got Hafner to pop up, and after Victor Martinez singled, he got Casey Blake to hit into a double play. Shingo Takatsu worked the ninth for his seventh save in seven attempts

The sweep helped the White Sox keep pace with first-place Minnesota. The Twins are a half-game up on Chicago, but they've got six games on Cleveland. The Sox return home for a weekend series against Detroit before three games against the Twins starting Monday.

``We came in here and did what we're supposed to do,'' Everett said. ``If that made a statement _ fine.''

Yankees 1, Toronto 0

Ruben Sierra homered with two outs in the ninth, only the second time the Yankees won 1-0 with a game-ending homer.

Orlando Hernandez shut down Toronto for seven innings before Sierra's first game-winning homer since April 1989 _ a blast over the center-field fence at Yankee Stadium.

El Duque, who won his first two starts, allowed four hits, walked one and struck out 10. Tom Gordon pitched the eighth and Mariano Rivera (1-0) completed the five-hitter with a one-hit ninth.

Orioles 8, Red Sox 3, 1st game

Red Sox 4, Orioles 0, 2nd game

Tim Wakefield pitched seven shutout innings five days after a line drive hit his pitching shoulder, and Boston beat Baltimore for a split in a day-night doubleheader at Fenway Park.

The Orioles won the opener behind Melvin Mora's two homers and four RBIs, and the pitching of Rodrigo Lopez.

Boston salvaged the finale of the three-game series, ending its first three-game home losing streak of the season. The Red Sox trail first-place New York by 8 1/2 games in the AL East and host the Yankees in a three-game series starting Friday night.

In the day game, Miguel Tejada hit a two-run homer in the first inning off Abe Alvarez (0-1), who lost his major league debut.

Mariners 4, Athletics 2

At Seattle, Bret Boone homered for the second night in a row, hitting a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the eighth inning.

Seattle has won four of five. Boone's shot off Mark Redman gave the left-hander his second complete-game loss of the season.

Redman (6-8) lost his fifth straight start. He allowed three earned runs on seven hits and three walks. In his previous four starts, Redman was 0-4 with a 9.75 ERA. Eddie Guardado pitched the ninth for his 18th save in 23 opportunities.

Royals 13, Tigers 7

At Detroit, Mike Sweeney hit a grand slam and a three-run homer.

Ken Harvey also connected for the Royals, who snapped a three-game losing streak and won for just the 13th time in 44 road games this season. Sweeney matched a club record with seven RBIs.

Detroit's All-Star shortstop, Carlos Guillen, left the game after the fourth inning due to stiffness in his back. He is listed as day to day.

Twins 7, Devil Rays 5

Michael Cuddyer hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning and Nick Punto had a grand slam at the Metrodome.

Rocco Baldelli tied it at 5 with his first career grand slam for the Devil Rays, who have lost 12 of 17 since moving a season-high two games over .500 on July 3.

Joe Nathan pitched the ninth for his 27th save.

Angels 11, Rangers 1

At Arlington, Texas, Bartolo Colon (8-8) allowed just three singles in seven innings against Texas' powerful lineup.

Rangers starter Ricardo Rodriguez (3-1), who entered the game with a string of 15 1-3 consecutive scoreless innings, broke his right elbow when he was struck by Quinlan's liner in the fourth.