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Quentin rallies White Sox past Indians

May 28, 2008 - 8:42 PM By Todd Krepop PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- It has been a very good eight days for the Chicago White Sox.

Carlos Quentin drove in three runs as the White Sox rallied for a 6-5 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday.

Quentin's two-run double highlighted a three-run seventh as Chicago (29-23) won the rubber match of the three-game game series and moved 5 1/2 games ahead of the defending American League Central Division champion Indians (24-29).

It was the fifth victory for the White Sox over the Indians in a span of eight days and their 11th in 14 games overall.

"To win the division we have to play good against the division," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "So far we have been good. After a win like this makes you feel a little bit better about your club."

Joe Crede reached first to start the seventh on a fielding error by third baseman Andy Marte and Alexei Ramirez followed with a bloop single. After a botched sacrifice attempt, A.J. Pierzynski doubled off Rafael Betancourt (1-3) to cut the White Sox's deficit to 5-4.

Quentin followed with a two-run double just inside third base bag off Betancourt. His 47 RBI are the second- most in the American League.

"A lot of guys did a good job of getting on base and putting together quality at-bats," Quentin said. "There are so many guys that I can't name them all right now."

Cleveland had a chance to tie or win the game in the ninth. But closer Bobby Jenks stranded runners on second and third for his 14th save in 16 chances as he retired Ben Francisco and Victor Martinez on pop-ups.

"We didn't drive in runs when we had the opportunity," Martinez said.

"It's a big win for us," Guillen said. "They had their two best hitters coming up to the plate. This could have been a game we could have looked back at (with regret) if we lost."

While the White Sox are surging, the Indians are going in the opposite direction having lost 10 of their last 12 games.

"We could have done better," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "(Chicago) is playing with a little more confidence and they are a little bit tougher right now."

White Sox starter Gavin Floyd (5-3) allowed two runs in the first, then settled down until running into trouble in the sixth.

Martinez and David Dellucci led off the inning with consecutive doubles and Jhonny Peralta followed by blasting Floyd's 0-2 offering over the left field wall for a two-run home run to give the Indians a 5-3 lead.

Floyd left after yiedling five runs - four earned - and eight hits in six innings. He struck out a season-high seven without a walk.

"It was nice to win this series," Floyd said. "Things weren't going my way, but the hitters kept battling and coming back."

Jermaine Dye's solo home run in the fourth off of starter Jake Westbrook cut the Indians lead to 2-1.

Chicago took the lead in the fifth on an RBI groundout by Pierzynski and a sacrifice fly by Quentin.