Errors lead to another Indians loss

Unearned runs come back to bite Indians

Associated Press

Chicago

Dylan Covey pitched six effective innings for his first win since August and the Chicago White Sox beat the sloppy Cleveland Indians 6-1 Friday for their season-high fifth straight win.

Charlie Tilson hit a two-run double to get Chicago’s offense rolling. Tilson, Yoan Moncada, Yonder Alonso and Yolmer Sanchez each had two hits.

The win moved the White Sox into a second-place tie in the AL Central with Cleveland.

Four of Chicago’s six runs against slumping Cleveland starter Trevor Bauer were unearned as the Indians committed four errors.

Covey (1-4) allowed a lead-off homer to Francisco Lindor, and then settled in to end a personal six-game losing streak. The right-hander scattered eight hits while striking out five and walking one.

Josh Osich and Juan Minaya followed with three innings of one-hit relief.

Bauer (4-5) allowed nine hits and struck out eight in seven innings, but shaky fielding doomed the right-hander. An All-Star in 2018, Bauer dropped to 0-4 in six May starts with a 5.75 ERA.

Covey, by contrast, was helped by crisp defense.

Eloy Jimenez made a leaping catch of Mike Freeman’s fly on the left-field warning track to lead off the third. Jose Abreu speared Greg Allen’s liner near first and then dove back and caught Jake Bauers off the bag for an unassisted double play in the fourth.

Lindor’s solo shot to right-center was the 15th lead-off homer of his career.

Tilson’s ground-rule double with two outs in the third bounced just inside the left field line and into the stands, and drove in runners from second and third to give Chicago a 2-1 lead.

The White Sox added three runs, including two unearned, in the fourth, extending their lead to 5-1.

Bauer struck out Moncada with the bases loaded and none out. Abreu followed with a drive to the warning track in straightaway center for a sacrifice fly.

Alonso’s grounder to the right side should have been the third out, but it glanced of Carlos Santana’s glove for an error that allowed two more runs to score.

FIRST HIT

White Sox catcher Seby Zavala’s bloop to right in the fourth fell in for his first major league hit.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: RHP Mike Clevinger (strained upper back muscle) is expected to throw a simulated game at the Indians’ training facility in Goodyear, Arizona, today. ... OF Tyler Naquin (left calf strain) is continuing his rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus and expected to play on Saturday at Durham. ... Manager Terry Francona said OF Bradley Zimmer (right shoulder surgery in July 2018), played at Goodyear on Friday and will be re-evaluated today. The 26-year-old Zimmer could be ready to move to Triple-A in the next phase of his rehab.

UP NEXT

Indians RHP Jefry Rodriguez (1-5, 4.99) faces White Sox RHP Ivan Nova (3-4, 6.52) at 2:10 p.m. today. Rodriguez has allowed 14 earned runs over 15 innings. Nova allowed one run in five innings in a no-decision in his previous start.