White Sox attempt to jump Indians in AL Central standings
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Finally over .500 for the first time in four months, the game series with the Cleveland Indians at U.S. Cellular Field.
Juan Pierre ended a five-hour, 21-minute battle with an RBI single in the 14th inning to send the White Sox over the Indians, 8-7, in a marathon series opener on Tuesday.
Pierre had three of Chicago's 22 hits, none bigger than his opposite-field knock to left field off David Huff in the 14th. Gordon Beckham scored on the hit after reaching on a one-out double off Chad Durbin (2-2).
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The White Sox's third straight win puts them over the .500 mark (61-60) for the first time since April 15. They are 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Tigers and a half-game behind the Tribe.
Paul Konerko and Brent Morel each had four hits in the win, which was credited to Jason Frasor (3-2) for tossing a perfect 14th.
Charged with continuing the momentum is veteran lefty Mark Buehrle, who makes the 358th start of his big-league career and 44th against the Indians. The 32- year-old is 14-15 lifetime against Cleveland, having posted a 4.67 earned run average across 258 1/3 innings of work with 286 hits allowed and 148 strikeouts.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Buehrle has won his last four decisions, including a 6-3 verdict at Baltimore on Aug. 11, in which he allowed six hits and three runs in eight innings.
He hasn't lost since mid-June in Minnesota and the White Sox are 8-1 in his last nine starts.
The Indians go with 27-year-old Dominican righty Fausto Carmona, who makes his fifth try at a first win since July 18.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Carmona, a 13-game winner in 33 starts last season, picked up his fifth win of 2011 when he defeated Minnesota, 6-3, after allowing two runs on seven hits in six innings.
He's 0-2 with a pair of no-decisions since, including a 4-3 loss to Detroit in his last outing after going seven innings and surrendering three earned runs on seven hits.
Carmona is 7-5 in 15 career meetings with the White Sox with a 6.08 ERA in 74 innings. The Indians are 5-5 in his last 10 starts overall.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Chicago has won seven of its eight meetings with the Tribe this season.