Johnny Cueto twirled a gem over 8 2/3 innings and José Abreu had an RBI double, sending the Chicago White Sox over the Cleveland Guardians 2-0 on Saturday night.
Cleveland leads the AL Central by one game over Minnesota, while the White Sox moved within 2 1/2 games of the Guardians. Chicago had lost three in a row.
Cueto (6-5, 2.58 ERA) posted his 10th consecutive quality start, the first double-digit string by the White Sox since Carlos Rodón in 2016. The right-hander struck out two and walked one in beating Cleveland for the fifth time in five career decisions.
Manager Tony La Russa pulled Cueto for Liam Hendriks with one on and two outs in the ninth after 113 pitches. Hendricks struck out rookie Oscar Gonzalez for his 28th save. Shane Bieber (8-7, 3.10 ERA) had his four-start winning streak snapped, allowing two runs on five hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Abreu opened the scoring in the sixth by doubling to straight-away center, driving in Luis Robert. Chicago only had one hit off Bieber entering the inning. Elvis Andrus extended the White Sox’s lead to 2-0 on an unusual play in the seventh, scampering home after Will Benson’s throw from right field bounced and struck catcher Luke Maile on his mask.
White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal injured his left knee while attempting to score from second base in the seventh. Grandal, who was thrown out by My Myles Straw, was unable to put any weight on his leg as he was helped off the field, and onto the IL.
Andrus went 1 for 4 in his second game with the White Sox. The 33-year-old shortstop signed as a free agent after being released by Oakland.
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