Indians climb back in eighth but fall short to ChiSox

White Sox 11, Indians 10

CLEVELAND -- The sound of forks scraping dinner plates competed with the TV volume in Chicago's dreary clubhouse. The White Sox had little to say following what should have been an easy win.

Instead, they felt like losers.

Paul Konerko hit a three-run homer, highlighting Chicago's nine-run sixth inning, but the White Sox and their brutal bullpen barely held off another late-inning Cleveland comeback for an 11-10 win over the Indians on Monday night.

"That type of game can get you down and you're not going to get up," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "Even though the Indians lost, I guarantee you they felt like they won. They left with a smile on their face."

Not the White Sox.

They sent down reliever Nick Masset to the minors after the not-so-good win and could be making more moves in the coming days.

Guillen has lost all patience with his bullpen, which now has a 7.52 ERA since May 8.

"I think it's funny to watch every day," Guillen said. "I've never seen anything like it. Even the position players are asking questions."

Konerko's 19th homer, off reliever Fernando Cabrera, was one of five extra-base hits in the sixth -- Chicago's highest-scoring inning of 2007 -- that helped the disappointing White Sox take out some frustration and open an 11-2 lead.

But the Indians, as they've done all season, roared back and nearly caught Chicago.

Cleveland got a three-run homer from Franklin Gutierrez in the sixth, and then scored five times off four relievers in the eighth to climb within one.

White Sox closer Bobby Jenks, though, finally ended the Indians' bid for their 28th come-from-behind win by pitching the ninth for his 25th save in 29 tries.

It wasn't easy. Jenks got some help from Konerko, who made a diving stop in the hole at first to take a leadoff single away from Ryan Garko. Jenks struck out pinch-hitter Trot Nixon, but Gutierrez singled for his fourth hit to keep Cleveland's rally alive and stole second.

Josh Barfield then fouled out behind home plate, allowing the White Sox to avoid an embarrassing collapse.

"At 11-2 you feel good, but not at 11-5 or 11-6 with guys on base," Konerko said. "Then (another bullpen meltdown) starts crossing your mind."

Konerko was robbed of at least a double and maybe two more RBIs in the seventh by Grady Sizemore, who scaled the wall in left-center and snagged the drive, which TV replays showed ricocheted off the Plexiglas.

Jim Thome had three hits, rookie Jerry Owens picked up his first three career RBIs and Rob Mackowiak drove in three -- with two hits in the sixth -- for Chicago, which entered the week 10 games under .500 and 14 games behind in the AL Central.

The White Sox improved to 2-3 on a crucial 11-game road trip that general manager Kenny Williams has promised to use as a barometer to decide whether or not to break up his roster with trades.

Following the game, Guillen spoke on the phone with Williams.

"He feels like he lost and so did I," Guillen said. "He told me to keep my head up and keep managing."

Tied 2-2 in the sixth, the White Sox sent 14 batters to the plate and got nine hits, their most in an inning since getting 12 on June 20, 2006, against St. Louis.

Rookie John Danks (6-6) held Cleveland to five runs in 5 2/3 innings, making him 3-0 in his last six starts. The left-hander was pulled after giving up Gutierrez's homer.

Victor Martinez hit a two-run homer for the Indians, who fell one game behind idle Detroit in the AL Central.

A.J. Pierzynski opened Chicago's super sixth with a double off Cliff Lee (5-6) and scored on Mackowiak's infield single. One out later, Lee intentionally walked Juan Uribe to face Owens. The light-hitting center fielder grounded a two-run single.

Lee was replaced by Cabrera, who couldn't stop the White Sox either. Uribe scored on a sac fly and Thome doubled before Konerko homered.

It was Chicago's major league-leading 22nd homer in July, one more than the White Sox hit in all of June.

Pierzynski, Jermaine Dye and Mackowiak all got their second hits of the inning before Jensen Lewis made his major league debut and finally ended the outburst.

Indians manager Eric Wedge, who received a three-year contract extension on Monday, was pleased that his team fought back. He wasn't so thrilled with his bullpen.

"Sooner or later we're going to give ourselves a chance to come back and win," he said. "That's why it's important for those guys to come in and stop the bleeding."

Game Notes
Owens went 99 at-bats before his first career RBI, the longest stretch by a White Sox player since 1957. ... The White Sox began a stretch of games in which they'll play 25 of their next 28 against teams with winning records. The lone exception is a three-game set against Toronto, which entered the week just one game under .500. ... Martinez was shaken by a foul tip that deflected off his mask in the sixth. After being struck, he dropped to one knee and rubbed his jaw but stayed in the game.