Chicago: Adam Dunn smashed two home runs to give the Chicago White Sox a 5-4 win over the Cleveland Indians yesterday, preserving their one-game lead in the American League Central.
With the White Sox trailing 3-1 in the sixth inning, Dunn blasted a solo homer to pull the home team within one then delivered a three-run shot in the eighth to put Chicago in front for good.
The victory kept the White Sox (82-71) one game in front of Detroit (81-72), who beat Kansas City 6-2 with reigning Cy Young winner Justin Verlander carrying the Tigers with eight strikeouts in eight innings to improve to 16-8.
Both teams have nine games remaining.
After Dunn’s timely power surge, which gave him 41 home runs on the season, Chicago surrendered a run to the Indians in the ninth and let the tying run reach second base before reliever Donnie Veal got the final out.
In Minnesota, Curtis Granderson hit his 40th homer of the season to help the New York Yankees beat the Twins 6-3 and end the day 1 1/2 games clear of Baltimore at the top of the AL East.
In other action yesterday, In the National League, the St. Louis Cardinals topped Houston Astros 6-1 and now have a 3 1/2 game advantage in the second NL wild card spot. REUTERS
