Indians rally after delay to beat Chicago, sweep DH

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

Shelley Duncan’s RBI double in the eighth inning gave the Cleveland Indians a soggy 3-2 win over the Chicago White Sox on Monday night and a sweep of their day-night doubleheader.

Duncan ripped a pitch from left-hander Matt Thornton (1-2) into the left-field corner, scoring Asdrubal Cabrera.

The first-place Indians won the opener 8-6.

The White Sox have lost six of seven.

Cleveland’s Josh Tomlin allowed five hits in 71/3 innings — most of the final three in a steady downpour. He struck out a career-high eight and maintained his control despite slick, slippery conditions on the mound.

Joe Smith (2-1) gave up a game-tying single after a lengthy rain delay, but got two outs and was credited with the win.

Tony Sipp worked the ninth for his first save.

The Indians are 8-3 in their past 11.

Sipp gave up a two-out walk to pinch-hitter Paul Konerko before striking out Tyler Flowers for his second career save — and first since July 23, 2010.

Cleveland’s Travis Hafner homered and tripled in the opener. He struck out twice in the second game but was hit by a pitch for the 79th time in his career, tying him with Nap Lajoie for the team record.

Cabrera opened the eighth with a bloop single off Thornton, and Carlos Santana followed with a flair to almost the exact spot in shallow right-center. After Hafner popped out, Duncan pulled Thornton’s pitch down the line to make it 3-2.

The White Sox tied it 2-all in the eighth, moments after a 1-hour, 25-minute rain delay, on Alex Rios’ RBI single.

The Indians hit some solid line drives off Chicago starter Eric Stults in the first three innings, but had nothing to show for it.

Stults wasn’t so lucky in the fifth, when a two-out walk to catcher Lou Marson, Cleveland’s No. 9 hitter batting just .059, came back to haunt him.

Marson then got a great jump and stole second on the next pitch before scoring on Michael Brantley’s single. Brantley took second on the throw home and scored on Jason Kipnis’ RBI single.

Stults’ debut with the White Sox was also his first major league start since Aug. 9, 2009, for the Dodgers.