Cleveland (22-22) at Chi White Sox (23-21)

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cle

Francisco establishing foothold

Brandon Harris / MLB.com
A new sense of confidence has helped make Ben Francisco an everyday fixture in the Indians' lineup. Called up from Triple-A Buffalo for the second time May 6, Francisco has 10 starts in 13 appearances, and the 26-year-old's bat is the hottest thing going for a struggling Indians offense.
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Indians probable pitcher

C.C. Sabathia

  • LHP
  • (3-5) 5.47 ERA
Indians: All worry about Sabathia following his dismal four-start stretch to open the season has dissipated. He has gone 3-2 with a 1.49 ERA (36 1/3 innings pitched, six earned runs allowed) over his last five starts, lowering his ERA from 13.50 to 5.47. The key has been his regained confidence in his cutter, particularly against right-handed hitters. Sabathia worked a complete-game shutout against the A's on Wednesday, allowing just five hits with two walks and tying a season-high with 11 strikeouts.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 103-68 3.89 1460.2 486 1199 .251
Season 3-5 5.47 54.1 22 57 .285
May 2-1 2.01 22.1 5 24 .253
Vs. Chi White Sox 0-0 8.44 5.1 3 7 .273

Series at a Glance

Standings - 05/20/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Cleveland Indians (AL Central) 22 22 .500 1.0 14-12 8-10
Chicago White Sox (AL Central) 23 21 .523 - 9-8 14-13
Stats - 05/20/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
CLE .236 183 36 179 23 306 3.36 391.0 374 126 268
CWS .246 203 52 198 13 272 3.61 389.1 373 134 293
cws

White Sox to take on tough Tribe staff

Scott Merkin / MLB.com
The White Sox come off a tough stretch in which they played 16 of 19 games on the road. But it doesn't get any easier at home, as the Indians' tough starting pitching staff comes to town for a three-game set.
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White Sox probable pitcher

Jose Contreras

  • RHP
  • (4-3) 3.35 ERA
White Sox: It was another strong outing for Contreras, as he helped the White Sox end their three-game, West Coast losing streak with a 6-1 victory over the Angels on Wednesday. Contreras allowed one run on four hits over seven innings, striking out three and walking three in picking up his third win in four decisions. Contreras has yielded a mere two earned runs over his past 14 innings pitched. Contreras has yet to face Cleveland during the 2008 season, but he has a 4-2 career mark against the Indians with a 3.30 ERA. He also holds a 1-2 mark with a 4.12 ERA at U.S. Cellular Field over three starts this season.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 62-47 4.50 884.2 322 651 .256
Season 4-3 3.35 53.2 16 28 .240
May 2-1 2.45 22.0 5 12 .203

Indians hitters vs Jose Contreras

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Brantley, Michael - - - - - - - -
Cabrera, Asdrubal - - - - .333 3 0 0
Choo, Shin-Soo - - - - .000 3 0 0
Crowe, Trevor - - - - - - - -
Gimenez, Chris - - - - - - - -
Hafner, Travis - - - - .125 24 0 1
LaPorta, Matt - - - - - - - -
Marson, Lou - - - - - - - -
Marte, Andy - - - - .000 1 0 0
Peralta, Jhonny - - - - .273 22 0 3
Santana, Carlos - - - - - - - -
Shoppach, Kelly - - - - .000 4 0 0
Sizemore, Grady - - - - .310 29 3 5
Toregas, Wyatt - - - - - - - -
Valbuena, Luis - - - - - - - -

White Sox hitters vs C.C. Sabathia

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Armstrong, Cole - - - - - - - -
Beckham, Gordon - - - - - - - -
De Aza, Alejandro - - - - - - - -
Flowers, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Konerko, Paul .000 3 0 0 .178 45 1 3
Kotsay, Mark - - - - .286 14 0 1
Lillibridge, Brent - - - - - - - -
Nix, Jayson - - - - .000 3 0 0
Pierzynski, A.J. .667 3 0 1 .143 21 1 2
Quentin, Carlos - - - - .143 7 1 1
Ramirez, Alexei .000 2 0 0 .375 8 0 0
Rios, Alex .000 4 0 0 .250 20 2 3
Teahen, Mark .333 6 0 0 .265 34 0 0
Viciedo, Dayan - - - - - - - -

Rising up, falling down (22-23) (24-20)

White Sox 4, Indians 1

Ace wasted

Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com
C.C. Sabathia fanned eight batters over seven innings, but gave up two home runs. The Indians offense could not get ignited, accounting for only four hits -- none from the one- through four-holes -- in the club's fourth loss in as many games.

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Series at a Glance

 

Six straight

Scott Merkin / MLB.com
Carlos Quentin swatted his 12th homer of the season, and Jim Thome notched his eighth -- and third off C.C. Sabathia this season -- as the White Sox got it done on long balls against the Indians. Chicago has now won six straight.
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White Sox 4, Indians 1

ClevelandABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Sizemore, CF4001023.261
Francisco, RF4000001.340
Hafner, DH4000020.221
Martinez, C4000010.306
Garko, 1B3010000.243
Dellucci, LF3010001.227
Blake, 3B3110011.228
Carroll, 2B3010001.200
Cabrera, SS2000000.177
Totals30141067 

BATTING
2B: Dellucci (5, Contreras).
TB: Garko; Dellucci 2; Blake; Carroll.
RBI: Sizemore (22).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Francisco; Sizemore.
S: Cabrera.
GIDP: Dellucci.
Team LOB: 3.
 
Chi White SoxABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Cabrera, SS5000017.218
Pierzynski, C4000012.306
Quentin, LF3211110.305
Dye, RF4120010.296
Thome, DH3111111.204
Konerko, 1B3010124.215
Crede, 3B2000022.271
  Ozuna, 3B2021000.243
Swisher, CF4001005.206
Ramirez, 2B3020000.207
Totals334943921 

BATTING
HR: Quentin (12, 1st inning off Sabathia, 0 on, 2 out), Thome (8, 2nd inning off Sabathia, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Quentin 4; Dye 2; Thome 4; Konerko; Ozuna 2; Ramirez 2.
RBI: Quentin (38), Thome (24), Ozuna (4), Swisher (14).
2-out RBI: Quentin.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cabrera 3; Pierzynski.
Team LOB: 9.

FIELDING
E: Ramirez (1, fielding).
DP: (Thornton-Cabrera-Konerko).
 
ClevelandIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Sabathia (L, 3-6)7.07221825.14
Lewis, J 1.02222103.55
 
Chi White SoxIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Contreras (W, 5-3)6.04110403.17
Thornton (H, 4)0.20000003.86
Dotel (H, 6)0.10000104.00
Linebrink (H, 12)1.00000101.40
Jenks (S, 11)1.00000001.86

Contreras pitched to 1 batter in the 7th.

IBB: Thome (by Lewis, J).
HBP: Ramirez (by Lewis, J).
Pitches-strikes: Sabathia 110-70, Lewis, J 29-18, Contreras 99-62, Thornton 6-4, Dotel 5-3, Linebrink 10-8, Jenks 6-4.
Groundouts-flyouts: Sabathia 6-7, Lewis, J 1-1, Contreras 11-3, Thornton 2-0, Dotel 0-0, Linebrink 0-2, Jenks 1-2.
Batters faced: Sabathia 29, Lewis, J 8, Contreras 23, Thornton 1, Dotel 1, Linebrink 3, Jenks 3.
Inherited runners-scored: Thornton 1-0.
EjectionsChicago White Sox third baseman Joe Crede ejected by HP umpire Wally Bell. (4th).
Umpires: HP: Wally Bell. 1B: Mike Winters. 2B: Paul Schrieber. 3B: Laz Diaz.
Weather: 62 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 10 mph, Out to CF.
T: 2:50.
Att: 27,533.
May 20, 2008

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner