Salazar excels on mound, Tribe bats thump White Sox
CHICAGO (AP) Danny Salazar pitched two-hit ball into the sixth inning, and the Cleveland Indians pounded the White Sox 7-1 Friday, spoiling Chicago's bone-chilling home opener.
It was 39 degrees at first pitch and snow and rain fell during the day, but the Indians were in their element. Cleveland jumped to a 5-0 lead against John Danks en route to an easy victory after splitting two games at home with Boston in a season-opening series that included two postponements.
Jason Kipnis singled and scored during a three-run first and capped a two-run second with a sacrifice fly.
Francisco Lindor added two hits and two runs. Mike Napoli scored twice, and Carlos Santana and Yan Gomes each drove in two.
Salazar (1-0), a 14-game winner last season, gave up a solo homer to Todd Frazier but not much else. He struck out seven and walked three over 5 1/3 innings.
It was a frustrating performance for the White Sox after they started the year by taking three of four at Oakland.
They managed just three hits - two by Frazier. Danks (0-1) allowed seven runs - five earned - and eight hits over five innings.
He ran into trouble in the first when he gave up one-out singles to Kipnis and Lindor before walking Napoli to load the bases. Two runs came in when catcher Alex Avila threw wildly to first after fielding Santana's chopper, and Gomes followed with a sacrifice fly.
The Indians added to it in the second when Jose Ramirez doubled with one out and Rajai Davis tripled to right-center. Kipnis followed with a sacrifice fly to shallow center, making it 5-0 and drawing more boos from a crowd that has seen too much of this.
Danks fell behind hitters, the defense was shaky and Avisail Garcia was picked off first base in the bottom of the second inning, bringing back memories of last year's 76-win season.
The White Sox did not get a hit until Frazier, their biggest offseason addition, drove an 0-2 pitch beyond the left field bullpen in the fourth for his second homer.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Indians: Lonnie Chisenhall (left wrist impingement) was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment on Friday with Triple-A Columbus and Michael Brantley (right shoulder surgery) was to begin working out with the minor league club this weekend. Both outfielders are on the 15-day disabled list.
White Sox: SS Jimmy Rollins was back in the lineup after a planned off day.
UP NEXT
Indians: RHP Cody Anderson makes his first start after going 7-3 with a 3.05 ERA in 15 starts as a rookie last season.
White Sox: LHP Chris Sale (1-0, 3.86 ERA) looks to build on a season-opening win at Oakland.
