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Indians Outlast White Sox

Jose Ramirez hit a three-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning, giving Cleveland a 5-3 win over the Chicago White Sox that clinched a postseason berth Tuesday night.

 

Ramirez's drive to right off Jose Ruiz scored Cesar Hernandez and Francisco Lindor, setting off a wild celebration at home plate as the Indians reached the postseason for the fourth time in five years.

 

Lindor had pulled Cleveland within one on a two-out double that plated Roberto Perez, who began the inning on second base. After Matt Foster (5-1) walked Hernandez, Ruiz entered and gave up the game-ending drive.

 

AL Central-leading Chicago lost for the fourth time in five games, creating a log jam at the top of the division. Minnesota is a half-game back in second, and Cleveland trails by three games.

 

Aces Lucas Giolito of the White Sox and Shane Bieber of the Indians face off Wednesday.

 

Chicago grabbed a 3-1 lead with two runs in the top of the 10th against Phil Maton (3-3). Adam Engel hit an RBI triple and scored on Nick Madrigal's single.

 

Earlier in the inning, White Sox manager Rick Renteria and shortstop Tim Anderson were ejected by umpire Angel Hernandez after Luis Robert looked at a called third strike.

 

Hernandez hit a solo shot in the first and Chicago tied it in the sixth when Jose Abreu connected off Adam Plutko, sending a drive to right-center for his 19th homer.

 

Abreu leads the AL with 56 RBIs and 74 hits. He is second in homers and third with a .332 batting average. Fellow MVP candidate Anderson went 1 for 4, dropping his average to .353, while Ramirez has 12 home runs and 26 RBIs in his last 24 games.

 

White Sox starter Reynaldo Lopez worked five innings, allowing three hits and striking out three. Closer Alex Colome worked a perfect ninth before experiencing back spasms that prevented him from continuing in extra innings.

 

Right-hander Cal Quantrill gave up one hit in four scoreless innings for the Indians, becoming the ninth Canadian-born pitcher to start for the franchise.

 

Lucas Giolito (4-3, 3.53 ERA) has not logged a decision in two starts against Cleveland this season, posting a 1.38 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 13 innings. Giolito is expected to start Chicago's first postseason game.

Shane Bieber (8-1, 1.74 ERA) makes his 12th and final start of the r

egular season. The 2019 All-Star Game MVP leads the AL in wins, ERA and strikeouts with 112. Bieber is widely considered the Cy Young Award favorite.

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