White Sox, Pierzynski knock around Jimenez

Associated Press

CHICAGO

Gordon Beckham snapped out of a slump with three hits and the Chicago White Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 7-2 on Tuesday.

Beckham was mired in 0-for-10 slide and was batting just .153 before he belted a solo homer in the third to give Chicago a 2-1 lead on a rainy, overcast night at U.S. Cellular Field. He also singled in a run in the fifth.

A.J. Pierzynski also had a solo homer for Chicago, which is 3-0 against Cleveland this season. Chris Sale (3-1) allowed one run and three hits in six crisp innings.

Shelley Duncan connected for Cleveland, snapping the team’s 11-game homerless streak.

Damon in lineup tonight

Indians manager Manny Acta plans to put new outfielder Johnny Damon in the starting lineup Wednesday.

The team purchased Damon’s contract Tuesday and made room on the roster by designating infielder Jose Lopez for assignment before the opener of a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox.

Acta said the plan was for Damon to spend a day with his new teammates and take batting practice in Chicago before starting tonight.

The 38-year-old Damon, now in his 18th major league season, needs 277 hits to reach 3,000. He signed a minor league deal with the Indians on April 17 and has spent the last few weeks getting ready at the club’s facility in Goodyear, Ariz.

“We felt it was a more controlled environment where he could get more at-bats a day and he felt good over there,” Acta said. “We had a training staff that was taking care of him, enough coaches over there ... and the staff over there felt good about how quick he got his timing down.”

Damon has a .286 career average. He ranks third among active players in runs (1,643) and fourth in doubles (516).