BC-BBA–White Sox-Indians,0450

Indians 6, White Sox 3

CLEVELAND (AP) – C.C. Sabathia struck out 11 in six innings and Ronnie Belliard hit a three-run homer to lead the Cleveland Indians over the Chicago White Sox 6-3 Friday night.

The Indians staked Sabathia to a 5-0 lead and went on to win for just the second time in 12 games.

The White Sox lost their seventh in nine games and fell one game back of second-place Cleveland in the AL Central.

Sabathia (10-8) tied a career high for strikeouts and won for the first time in three starts. He gave up five hits and two walks and was in command except for a three-run third inning by Chicago.

The left-hander had struggled since allowing three runs in one inning of work in the All-Star game, going 3-4 with a 6.14 ERA over his previous seven outings since July 22.

The 24-year-old Sabathia became the first Indians pitcher to win 10 or more games in his first four seasons since Luis Tiant did it for five years, 1964-68.

Rafael Betancourt and Bob Howry each worked a scoreless inning, and Bob Wickman got three outs for his seventh save in eight chances.

Jason Grilli (0-1) was called up by the White Sox from Triple-A Charlotte to start in place of Freddy Garcia, who has a strained right forearm.

The Indians gave the right-hander a rude welcome, taking a 5-0 lead in the first inning.

Grilli, who pitched in seven games for the Florida Marlins in 2000 and 2001, walked the first two batters he faced in the AL – Matt Lawton and Omar Vizquel.

Two outs later, Ben Broussard walked to load the bases and Coco Crisp followed with a two-run single.

Belliard then hit a 1-0 pitch to left for his seventh homer and a 5-0 lead.

Juan Uribe had a two-run triple and scored on a single by Ross Gload to make it 5-3 in the Chicago fourth. Sabathia walked one and hit Carl Everett with a pitch to fuel the rally, but quickly regained command.

Lawton singled to open the Cleveland fifth, went all the way to third on a wild pickoff attempt by Grilli, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Vizquel to make it 6-3.

Grilli gave up five earned runs and five hits in five innings. He walked three and struck out three.

Notes: It was Sabathia’s fourth game of 11 strikeouts and first since Sept. 28, 2001, vs. Minnesota. … Sabathia is 8-2 in 12 career starts against the White Sox. … Chicago CF Aaron Rowand went 2-for-4, extending his hitting streak to 11 games. He also stole second, making opponents 15-for-21 in steal attempts against Sabathia this year. … White Sox 1B Paul Konerko went 0-for-2 against Sabathia and is 4-for-31 (.129) in his career against him.

AP-ES-08-27-04 2154EDT