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Santana, Anderson lead Indians past White Sox 12-1

Sep 19, 2015 - 3:23 AM CLEVELAND (AP) The Cleveland Indians have been waiting all season for Carlos Santana to get on a roll.

Friday night could be a step in that direction.

Santana's grand slam capped a six-run third inning off Chicago ace Chris Sale and the Indians beat the White Sox 12-1.

Cleveland entered play trailing Houston by four games for the second wild-card spot in the AL. The chances of getting to the postseason would look a lot better if Santana can finally produce.

''We've all waited for that one real hot streak,'' Indians manager Terry Francona said. ''He's always had that. In this last 16 games that would really be something to get him hot.''

''It's a long season,'' said Santana, who is batting .237 with 16 homers and 72 RBIs. ''I know I had a bad first half. I'm trying to finish strong.''

Cody Anderson (5-3) allowed one run - Melky Cabrera's fifth-inning homer - in 6 2-3 innings.

Francisco Lindor, continuing his late push for AL Rookie of the Year, hit a solo homer in the seventh and went 3 for 5.

The Indians, who have won 15 of 22, moved back to .500 (73-73).

Sale (12-10) was charged with seven runs, one earned, in seven innings. The left-hander, who hasn't won since Aug. 21, struck out nine and leads the AL with 259.

Second baseman Carlos Sanchez's fielding error made all the runs Sale allowed in the third unearned. Mike Aviles and Michael Brantley put Cleveland ahead with RBI singles before Santana delivered with his second career grand slam.

Sale retired 10 of the next 12 batters and didn't allow another hit until Lindor's homer.

''You get a chance against him, you better take advantage of it because a lot of times that's the only one you get,'' Francona said.

''I wish I had been a little better, especially in that third inning,'' Sale said. ''I'm having a hard time staying away from big innings this year.''

Anderson recorded a career-high six strikeouts and won his third straight start. The rookie right-hander is 3-0 with a 2.36 ERA in five starts since coming off the disabled list (strained left oblique) on Aug. 26.

''He kind of walked a tight rope a little bit,'' Francona said. ''He competes like crazy and finds a way.''

After Roberto Perez reached on a one-out single in the third, Sanchez booted Jose Ramirez's ground ball. Lindor struck out, but Aviles blooped a hit to center field for a 1-0 lead.

Brantley, who came into game 4 for 29 with 12 strikeouts in his career against Sale, lined a single to left that scored Ramirez.

Santana slugged an 0-1 pitch deep into the bleachers in left.

Lindor, who had an infield hit in the first, homered to right to lead off the seventh, his 10th of the season.

The White Sox swept a four-game series in Cleveland in July, outscoring the Indians 26-5.

THE RIGHT MOVE?

Lindor, batting .319 in 84 games, was called up from Triple-A Columbus on June 14, which has led to the discussion that the Indians should have promoted him earlier. Francona thinks the team did the right thing in terms of making sure the shortstop was ready when he was called up.

''I'm kind of proud,'' Francona said. ''We stuck to our guns. We did what we thought was right. There's no crystal ball. The results have worked out really well.''

TRAINER'S ROOM

White Sox: OF Trayce Thompson (hyperextended left elbow) was in the lineup for the first time since Monday, and went 1 for 4.

Indians: INF Zach Walters, a candidate to be called up next week, injured his shoulder sliding headfirst into home plate for Triple-A Columbus on Thursday. He's been placed on Columbus' DL.

UP NEXT

White Sox: LHP Carlos Rodon ranks second among AL rookies with 131 strikeouts and a .538 winning percentage.

Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco is 1-3 with a 10.03 ERA in four starts against the White Sox this season, totaling just 11 2-3 innings.