7427
by J.R.
Indians' problems with pop-ups ended in the seventh when Carlos Santana, making his first start at first base, let Alex Rios' pop-up fall behind him. Unfortunately, what came before ruined any chance for an Indians' victory.
The game turned in the third in an ugly performance by Jimenez and his defense.
Gordon Beckman, hitting .153 through Chicago's first 22 games, opened the inning with a homer for a 2-1 lead. He hit Jimenez's 3-1 pitch into the left-field bleachers. Fireworks followed, and the smoke from the explosions helped undo the Indians.
A thick blanket of smoke drifted over the infield when Alejandro De Aza hit a pop-up to the third-base side of the mound. Jason Donald couldn't find the ball in the smoke. He dived for it at the last moment but came up empty as De Aza slid into second ahead of Asdrubal Cabrera's throw to the bag for an infield double.
Donald said he lost the ball in the smoke. Acta said he saw the ball all the way from the dugout, but added, "Maybe Donald had a different angle on it because of the smoke."
Alexei Ramirez followed with a routine grounder to short that Cabrera dropped for an error as De Aza went to third. Jimenez walked Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko to force home a run and make it 3-1. A.J. Pierzynski, with the bases still loaded, skied a pitch above the mound. The infield fly rule was in effect, and Pierzynski was called out even though Cabrera dropped the ball as he climbed the mound to try and catch it.
Rios sent a grounder to third. Donald threw to Jason Kipnis for the force at second as Ramirez scored to make it 4-1. Dayan Viciedo's single to center made it 5-1 before Brett Morel hit into a force play at second to end the inning.
The White Sox sent nine men to the plate, and only two of them hit balls out of the infield. Three of the four runs were unearned as the Indians gave Chicago five outs.
"We didn't catch the ball up in the air, we didn't catch the ball down on the ground," Acta said. "We didn't cover the bases. . . . We cannot afford to play that kind of defense with the type of offense we have."