Swisher powers sweep

Associated Press

CHICAGO

Nick Swisher’s power surge has been a boost for Cleveland as the Indians try for their first postseason berth since 2007.

Swisher homered from both sides of the plate for the 13th time during the Indians’ 7-1 win against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday night.

Swisher tied the major league record set by former New York Yankees teammate Mark Teixeira, and the Indians pulled within a half-game of Tampa Bay and Texas in the AL wild-card race.

“The way things are kind of going down the stretch, you’ve got to step your game up in situations like this,” Swisher said. “Seasons like this don’t come around very often.

“We have a chance to make it into the playoffs and that’s what we’re doing.”

Slowed by injuries earlier this season, Swisher has five home runs in 13 games during September.

Batting right-handed against starter Chris Sale, Swisher homered off the left-hander leading off a four-run sixth. Asdrubal Cabrera’s three-run homer made it 6-0.

Switching around to the left-hand side against right-hander Ramon Troncoso in the ninth, Swisher hit his 20th home run of the season. Swisher has 20 career multihomer games.

“It’s pretty cool having a major league record for something,” Swisher said. “I don’t care what it’s for. Just to have that especially to share that with my boy Mark Teixeira who I love dearly, it’s just crazy. It just happens to be a lucky day.”

In a game that started after a rain delay of 4 hours, 23 minutes, the Indians achieved a franchise first by sweeping a four-game series from the White Sox for the third time in a season. Next up is a three-game series at Kansas City, which is three games back of Cleveland.

Zach McAllister (8-9) allowed one run and six hits in 6 2/3 innings with five strikeouts and a walk.

Last-place Chicago has lost six in a row, and at 58-91 is 33 games under .500 for the first time since finishing 1976 with a 64-97 record, according to STATS.

Sale (11-13) gave up six runs and nine hits — including three homers — in 5 2-3 innings and dropped to 6-11 following a 5-2 start. He has an 8.61 ERA in 23 innings against the Indians this season.

“I thought Zach’s stuff today was probably as good as we’ve seen,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “He had velocity with his fastball and some power to it and he commanded it in and out very well.”

Matt Carson put Cleveland ahead in the second with an RBI single, starting only the second three-hit game of his major league career. His solo homer in the fifth was his first home run since Sept. 26, 2010, for Oakland.