Garko’s slam adds to White Sox woes

Chicago, a half game behind division leader Minnesota, has two games left against the Indians.

CHICAGO (AP) — Ryan Garko and the Cleveland Indians kept the struggling Chicago White Sox in second place.

Garko homered twice, including a grand slam in a six-run fifth inning, and had five RBIs to help the Indians send the White Sox to their fourth straight loss, 11-8 Friday night.

Chicago missed a chance to move back into first in the AL Central when Minnesota lost at home to Kansas City, 8-1. The White Sox had just dropped three straight to the Twins in the Metrodome and were hoping to regroup at U.S. Cellular Field.

Instead, they remained a half game behind Minnesota after a shaky pitching effort that included six walks — one with the bases loaded — and a wild pitch that also scored a run.

The White Sox have two games left against the Indians and possibly a makeup game Monday against Detroit, if needed.

Cleveland lefty Scott Lewis (4-0) served up homers to Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynski during his five innings but got the victory.

Winless in six games on the White Sox’s home field before Friday, the Indians jumped on Chicago starter John Danks and reliever D.J. Carrasco in the fifth inning.

Trailing 4-3, Cleveland loaded the bases on two singles and a walk to start the inning before Shin-Soo Choo delivered a two-run single that finished Danks (11-9). Carrasco walked Jhonny Peralta to reload the bases before Garko homered over the wall beyond outstretched center fielder Brian Anderson, putting the Indians up 9-4.

Carrasco hit Kelly Shoppach with a pitch and was relieved by Mike MacDougal, who then hit Franklin Guitierrez before retiring the side.

Dye’s two-run shot, ending a 93 at-bat homerless streak, cut it to 9-6 in the bottom of the inning. But MacDougal walked three in the sixth to load the bases again, and Ehren Wasserman continued the bullpen’s horrendous night by walking Gutierrez on four pitches to force in a run and make it 10-6.

Horacio Ramirez’s wild pitch in the seventh put the Indians up by five.

Paul Konerko hit an RBI double in the bottom of the seventh to make it 11-7, and pinch-hitter DeWayne Wise had an RBI single off Jensen Lewis in the eighth to make it 11-8. With two runners on, Lewis retired Dye to end the threat and pitched the ninth for his 13th save.