CHICAGO – C.C. Sabathia allowed one run in eight impressive innings, and Ronnie Belliard and Casey Blake homered in the first inning of the Cleveland Indians’ 5-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Monday night.

Victor Martinez had a career-high four hits for the Indians, who moved within two games of the White Sox for second place in the AL Central.

Sabathia (5-3) scattered four hits and retired 13 of the last 14 batters he faced, including the last seven. He struck out four and walked one, and lowered his ERA from 2.95 to 2.80 – second in the AL to Oakland’s Tim Hudson (2.78).

Matt Miller pitched a perfect ninth to complete the four-hitter. Aaron Rowand hit a solo homer off the left-field foul pole on a 1-2 pitch from Sabathia in the fourth for the White Sox, who have lost five of their last six.

Rowand had three of the four hits against Sabathia, and finished 3-for-4.

Astros 7, Pirates 5

HOUSTON – Lance Berkman hit a tying three-run double and Jeff Kent drove in the go-ahead run in a big fifth inning, helping the Houston Astros rally to a 7-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Berkman was 2-for-4 with four RBIs for the Astros, who came back from four runs down to win their second in a row.

Kent had to leave the game after the seventh inning after jamming his right pinkie while sliding into third base in the fifth. He remained in the game after the injury, but didn’t take the field for the eighth inning. There was no immediate word on the severity of the injury.

Kirk Bullinger (1-1) pitched a scoreless fifth in relief of starter Tim Redding and picked up the win.

Octavio Dotel allowed Randall Simon’s pinch-hit double in the ninth before finishing for his 14th save in 17 chances.