Ramirez helps Tribe complete sweep of White Sox

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

The home-field advantage worked to perfection for the Indians on Sunday.

Jose Ramirez’s two-out single with the bases loaded in the 10th inning skipped past first baseman Jose Abreu to score the winning run as the Indians completed a three-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox with a 3-2 victory.

Indians manager Terry Francona jokingly gave credit to another source for the ball bouncing past Abreu and into right field.

“Maybe to our grounds crew for putting that hop in there, too, an assist from them,” he said. “We talk about it a lot, when you’re at home, just like when you are on the road, if something goes wrong, it’s nice to be the home team.”

Ramirez’s hit off David Robertson (0-1) gave Cleveland its second last at-bat win of the series. Cleveland won Friday night’s game when Carlos Santana hit a leadoff homer in the ninth off Nate Jones.

The Indians, who lead the AL Central, are 7-2 against the White Sox, including six straight wins.

Davis, who was 4 for 5, doubled to start the 10th. Following Jason Kipnis’ sacrifice, Francisco Lindor and Mike Napoli were walked intentionally to load the bases.

After Santana fouled out, Ramirez came through with his winning hit.

“Rajai had a great day and that bad hop doesn’t really matter if you don’t have anybody on base,” Francona said.

Ramirez found himself on the bottom of a pile of teammates in the middle of the infield after his clutch hit.

“Lindor and Kipnis were hitting me really hard,” Ramirez said through a translator. “This year I have to continue winning games like I am, and I’ll keep giving it hard to them just like they’re giving it to me.”

The White Sox trail the Indians by 51/2 games in the division. Chicago is 10-26 since starting the season with a 23-10 record.

“We were trying everything,” said manager Robin Ventura, who went with a five-man infield on Santana’s foul out in the 10th. “It’s a tough one to lose.”

Dan Otero (2-0) struck out Abreu with a runner on first to end the 10th.

Chicago second baseman Brett Lawrie kept the game tied with an outstanding defensive play to end the ninth. Juan Uribe doubled off Nate Jones with one out. After Yan Gomes struck out, Lawrie made a diving stop of Michael Martinez’s hard-hit grounder and threw to first for the out.

Carlos Carrasco, making his fourth start since coming off the disabled list with a strained left hamstring, gave up two runs in 71/3 innings for the Indians.

Chicago’s Carlos Rodon allowed two runs in 62/3 innings.

Melky Cabrera, who left Saturday’s game with a sore right wrist, lined a solo homer into the right-field seats to put the White Sox up 2-1 in the fourth.

Uribe, homering for the second straight day, tied it in the bottom of the inning with a shot into the left-field bleachers.

Abreu’s first-inning double put Chicago ahead, but Napoli tied the game with a sacrifice fly.

Davis stole two bases and leads the AL with 20 steals.