CLEVELAND (AP) - The Chicago White Sox had yet another tough night at the ballpark Friday.
Chicago built two early leads, but allowed four runs in both the fifth and sixth innings while dropping a 10-4 decision to the Cleveland Indians.
The White Sox have lost six in a row and were eliminated from the AL wild-card race.
Chicago also received a major scare when center fielder Adam Eaton crashed into the wall after catching Roberto Perez’s long drive in the sixth.
Eaton was down for several minutes before being helped to the dugout.
“Adam is pretty banged up, but he seems fine and is responsive,” manager Robin Ventura said. “It was actually his hip that was the issue, and when that happened, his back locked up. He also got the wind knocked out of him a little bit.”
The White Sox took a 4-2 lead into the fifth thanks to two-run homers by Melky Cabrera and Avisail Garcia, but that quickly disappeared.
Miguel Gonzalez (4-8) couldn’t get out of the fifth and the Indians continued to roll the following inning.
“The fifth inning just got away from me,” Gonzalez said. “That’s when it came apart. Our starting pitching has been strong all year, but now in September, we’re having a few hiccups, and ups and downs.”
Gonzalez allowed five runs - four earned - over 4 1/3 innings and lost to Cleveland for the first time in is career. The right-hander was 4-0 in five appearances (four starts) going into Friday and defeated the Indians in Chicago on Sept. 12
Cabrera’s home run in the first off Trevor Bauer (12-8) gave Chicago a 2-0 lead. Jose Ramirez tied the game with a two-run homer in the fourth before Garcia put the White Sox ahead again.
Gonzalez and Chicago’s bullpen combined to allow eight runs over the next two innings.
“You just tip your hat to (the Indians),” Gonzalez said. “You can’t fall behind in the count against a team that hot and a team that’s been playing pretty good baseball for a while.”
Cleveland took advantage of three hits, a hit batter and an error by third baseman Todd Frazier in the fifth. Carlos Santana led off with a double and Jason Kipnis was hit by a pitch. Following a wild pitch, Francisco Lindor hit a sacrifice fly and Mike Napoli’s single tied the game.
Juan Minaya replaced Gonzalez, and Frazier booted Ramirez’s ground ball, moving Napoli to second. Coco Crisp followed with a two-run double.
HOT HITTER
Frazier had two hits and is batting .426 with two homers and five RBIs in a seven-game hitting streak.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: 2B Tyler Saladino (back discomfort) was scratched from the lineup and replaced by Carlos Sanchez.
UP NEXT
White Sox: LHP Jose Quintana, who starts Saturday, needs four innings to record his fourth straight season of 200 innings pitched.
Indians: RHP Cody Anderson, forced into the rotation by injuries, will make his first start since June 7.
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