CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Aaron Civale kept the Indians K train rolling Tuesday afternoon.
Civale allowed two earned runs in six innings and struck out a career-high nine as the Indians hung on to beat the Chicago White Sox 4-3 in Game 1 of a doubleheader.
Indians pitchers have combined to strike out 54 batters through the first four games, an American League record and the second most in Major League history behind Cincinnati, who have 59 this year.
“We bent a lot but we didn’t break,” Indians manager Terry Francona said.
Civale pitched from ahead thanks to Francisco Lindor belting his first home run of the season in the top of the first – a two-run blast to put the Indians in front 2-0. Cleveland made White Sox starter Dylan Cease work in that first inning by throwing 28 pitches.
“It definitely helped to pitch with a lead,” Civale said.
Outfielder Bradley Zimmer, who started in right before moving to left, took Cease out to right to lead off the second inning for a 3-0 Indians advantage, his first home run of the season and his first big league blast since May 4, 2018 at Yankee Stadium.
“I feel comfortable with my approach and have an idea with what I’m trying to do at the plate,” Zimmer said. “Just to get back to where I feel like myself and play baseball is the biggest thing for me and not having to worry about how I’m feeling or my health.”
Second baseman Tim Anderson touched Civale for a solo shot to right center with two out in the top of the third to get Chicago on the board, trailing 3-1.
Cleveland loaded the bases in the bottom of the third with one out to chase Cease from the game. Zimmer drove home Cleveland’s fourth run with a bloop single to left but Roberto Perez hit into a 5-4-3 double play, ending the threat.
Chicago loaded the bases in the fourth against Civale with one out, but the right hander escaped without any damage.
“I’m comfortable with my pitches,” Civale said. “Curveball felt pretty good today, changeup felt pretty good so I stuck with that.”
The White Sox scratched a run across in the fifth thanks to Anderson’s double that was followed by a single from Yolan Moncada. A throwing error by Zimmer from center trying to throw out Anderson at third on the play allowed the runners to move up. Anderson scored on a Jose Abreu’s groundout to short to cut the Indians lead to 4-2.
James Karinchak pitched a scoreless seventh in relief of Civale. Nick Wittgren needed 25 pitches to get through the eighth after Edwin Encarnacion took a pitch off the knob of the bat followed by back-to-back singles to load the bases but a fielders choice and flyout to left ended the threat and preserved the two-run advantage.
Chicago scored a run in the ninth off closer Brad Hand on Yasmani Grandal’s RBI single to left that scored Anderson, who led the inning off with a double, but Hand got Edwin Encarnacion looking to end the game.
