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Walters HR sends Tribe past ChiSox in 10

Aug 27, 2014 - 6:06 AM Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Zach Walters' two-run home run in the 10th inning proved to be the difference, as Cleveland edged Chicago, 8-6, in the opener of a three-game series.

Michael Brantley, Carlos Santana, Jason Kipnis, Mike Aviles and Roberto Perez knocked in a run each for the Indians, who were coming off a series win over Houston and have won seven of their last 10 overall.

"I thought we came out really good, swinging at strikes that we could handle and getting runs on the board," said Indians manager Terry Francona. "They came right back, but then we came right back."

Bryan Shaw (5-3) struck out three over 2 1/3 scoreless relief innings for the win.

Alexei Ramirez hit a two-run shot and drove in three for the White Sox, who suffered their seventh consecutive defeat. Avisail Garcia added two RBI and Adam Eaton knocked in the other run for the hosts.

"We'll make a push if we can and if we can't, we'll end on a good note for next year," Eaton said. "Show the league the White Sox are going to be coming back."

Jake Petricka (0-4) pitched to two batters in the 10th and didn't record an out to suffer the loss, charged with two hits including Walters' deciding homer.

Things unraveled quickly for the hosts in the only extra frame, as Lonnie Chisenhall started the 10th with a pinch-hit double and Walters cleared the wall in right to give the Tribe an 8-6 advantage.

Shaw, who closed out the eighth by fanning pinch-hitter Alejandro De Aza swinging, pitched a clean ninth and followed suit in the bottom of the 10th to preserve Cleveland's winning margin.

The Indians jumped on top in the first. Michael Bourn doubled then was sacrificed to third, Brantley was plunked and Santana's double scored Bourn. A Kipnis grounder brought in Brantley and Aviles' base hit plated Santana.

In the home half, Ramirez singled, Jose Abreu doubled and both scored on Garcia's base hit as Chicago pulled within 3-2, but Brantley's ground-rule double scored Jose Ramirez in the second for a two-run Cleveland edge.

The White Sox forged ahead in the fifth, when Dayan Viciedo led off with a ground-rule double then scored on Eaton's two-out hit and Ramirez followed with a two-run homer to left.

Cleveland established a 6-5 advantage in the sixth, after Aviles singled, Walters walked and Perez brought one home on a single and the other came in on Eaton's fielding gaffe.

Tyler Flowers and Carlos Sanchez opened the bottom of the seventh with singles, advanced one base each on an Eaton sacrifice, then Flowers crossed home and knotted the game on a Ramirez groundout.

Game Notes

Walters has hit six home runs with the Indians, two of which tied the game and four have been game-deciding blasts ... Chicago still leads the season series by an 8-6 margin, and lost just its second game in eight against Cleveland at home this year ... Indians starter T.J. House allowed five runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings, while White Sox counterpart Jose Quintana exited after five full frames, having surrendered six runs on nine hits ... Prior to the contest, the ChiSox activated Eaton from the 15-day disabled list.