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Contreras, White Sox baffle Indians

Sep 2, 2007 - 9:30 PM CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- Jose Contreras and the Chicago White Sox ended their road woes.

Contreras pitched scoreless ball into the seventh and A.J. Pierzynski had four hits as the White Sox defeated the Cleveland Indians, 8-0, on Sunday.

The win snapped Chicago's 11-game road losing streak, which was their longest since losing 12 on the road during the 1962 season. The White Sox hadn't won on the road since August 5 at Detroit.

"It's the first game we have like this since July 2006," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "Hopefully we can turn it around and make this our best month of the year."

Cleveland saw its season high eight-game winning streak snapped as the Indians lead dropped to five games over the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central. Detroit plays in Oakland later this afternoon.

"It was a weird game," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "It was just an off day for us out there in every capacity."

Contreras allowed just three hits while striking out five in 6 2/3. His lack of control - he walked a season-high six batters - cost him a chance at picking up his second shutout of the season.

"All my pitches were working," Contreras said through a translator. "I was happy with the way I was throwing the ball, even though I walked six hitters. I was able to keep the ball down."

Contreras (8-16) entered the game 1-9 in his previous 10 starts with an 8.69 ERA. The Cuban righthander hadn't won on the road since pitching a shutout May 10 at Minnesota, but both streaks ended with his gem on Sunday.

It was the second win in as many starts for Contreras. He has now won back-to-back decisions for the first time this season. The righthander hadn't done that since September of last season.

"I have felt great the last couple of starts," Contreras said. "It feels good to be winning and helping the team win."

Contreras held the Indians hitless through the first three innings before having to work out of a jam in the fourth. Cleveland loaded the bases with one out, but Contreras induced Trot Nixon into a double play to end the threat.

"It seems like we have been on or off against (Contreras)," Wedge said. "We helped him out. We chased some pitches."

Chicago broke through with three runs in the second with help from a missed call by second base umpire Laz Diaz.

Pierzynski, who equaled a career high in hits, and Andy Gonzalez led off the inning with singles. Danny Richar followed with a grounder to second that hit Gonzalez, but Diaz didn't see the ball hit Gonzalez and called him safe at second.

"(Gonzalez) hit the ball first," Cabrera said.

"It looked to me like Asdrubal got there and just as he was about to make the play the runner hit him," Wedge said. "(Diaz) was saying he already had the ball and was trying to tag and then lost the ball. I don't know what the final story was."

With the bases loaded and nobody out - instead of runners on the corners and one out - Jake Westbrook (5-8) struck out Juan Uribe. Westbrook walked Jerry Owens to force in a run. After Scott Podsednik struck out, Jim Thome blooped a single into shallow left, scoring two runs and giving the White Sox a 3-0 lead.

"The team gave me three runs, that was important," Contreras said.

Westbrook was hardly effective early on the game, allowing seven hits in the first two innings. The righthander allowed four runs - three earned - on 11 hits in five innings. Westbrook walked three and struck out six.

"I didn't pitch well," Westbrook said. "Things didn't go our way at all. I would make a pretty good pitch and they got a hit. I make a bad pitch and they got a hit. It just wasn't a good day."

It was the shortest outing for Westbrook since he returned from the disabled list on June 24. Westbrook was 4-1 in his previous six starts with a 1.90 ERA.

Pierzynski added an RBI single in the sixth and Darrin Erstad hit a solo homer off of reliever Tom Mastny.

Cliff Lee relieved Westbrook, making his first major league relief appearance. Lee, who was demoted to Class AAA, allowed a run in an inning of work.