Indians, Lowe get blasted by White Sox

Associated Press

CHICAGO

Derek Lowe wasn’t looking for reasons. All he wanted to do was shake it off after absorbing his worst beating of the season.

Dayan Viciedo homered in his third straight game, Paul Konerko had four hits, and the Chicago White Sox pounded Lowe and the short-handed Cleveland Indians 14-7 Saturday for their eighth win in nine games.

“I don’t want to make light of the game, but when you get hit like that, you almost forget who did what,” Lowe said.

It’s not hard to see why it all seemed like a blur, the way the hits and runs were coming at him.

Chicago started with four in the first and added four more while chasing Lowe in the third after Cleveland scored five in the top half. Viciedo’s two-run homer made it 8-5, and the White Sox pulled away late after Cleveland got within one, tying a season high with their fourth straight win.

They now trail the first-place Indians by just 11/2 games in the AL Central and will try to complete the sweep today after another impressive day at the plate.

They set season highs for hits (17) and runs and have scored 81 over the past 12 games.

Alex Rios had three hits, including a two-run homer in the eighth after being robbed of a three-run drive by center fielder Michael Brantley in the first. Viciedo also had three hits and drove in five runs.

Konerko had three doubles while raising his average from .381 to .396 and extending his hitting streak to 12 games, drove in two runs and scored three.

Lowe (6-3) simply didn’t have it. He lasted just 21/3 innings in his shortest start this season and watched his ERA jump from an American League-leading 2.15 to 3.25 after giving up eight runs.