Major League Baseball

White Sox 7, Indians 3(10)

Published Sep. 11, 2011 2:04 a.m. ET

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After faltering with the bases loaded all game, Alex Rios wouldn't let the Chicago White Sox come up empty again.

Rios hit a game-ending grand slam in the 10th inning to lift Chicago to a 7-3 win over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday.

Rios' one out, first-pitch shot off Chris Perez (3-7) was Chicago's first game-ending home run this season and his first career grand slam.

''I assumed he was going to come (inside),'' Rios said. ''I guess I got the pitch and put a good swing on it. It worked.''

The blast came after the White Sox loaded the bases with one out for the fifth time in the game. In each of the first four occasions, Chicago didn't score, leaving the bases full.

The White Sox squandered bases-full situations in the first, sixth, eighth and ninth, and stranded 15 runners during the first nine innings before Rios snapped the streak in the 10th.

''Sometimes you get in stretches where you have a hard time scoring runs,'' Rios said. ''I felt like we had one of those games today. We came through.''

Rios, one of Chicago's highest-paid players, struck out with the bases full in the first inning and has struggled to a .222 average this season, making Saturday's triumph that much better.

''It was great,'' Rios said. ''We battled through the whole game. It was a long game and to do that, it's good. Any time you get a win, it's good.''

Chicago had plenty of baserunners all day, with 10 hits and a season-high 11 walks but went just 3 for 15 with runners in scoring position.

''That (summed up) the White Sox season right there,'' manager Ozzie Guillen said. ''The only thing we did good is we won.

''I'm glad we won, but it was tough. When you see that over and over and over, what's going on? You missed a very interesting Sunday paper if we lose this game.''

Alejandro De Aza doubled twice, walked and scored two runs for Chicago. Gordon Beckham had a double, two walks and two RBIs.

Sergio Santos (4-4) threw a scoreless inning to get the win in relief. Santos combined with Chris Sale to strike out six straight batters during the late innings.

Shelley Duncan doubled, homered and scored two runs for Cleveland. Matt LaPorta added a two-run double and Jim Thome singled twice.

Indians starter Fausto Carmona allowed six hits and three runs in 5 1-3 innings, lowering his ERA to 9.14 ERA in four starts against the White Sox this season.

Perez took the loss and wasn't too happy about the circumstances that led up to it, especially the walks.

''Very rarely you see major-league pitchers one through five have to struggle throwing strikes,'' Perez said. ''We'll have our off-days here and there, but not our whole bullpen.''

Chicago's Phil Humber was sharp in his six innings, holding Cleveland to two runs and striking out seven, but settled for a no-decision on Saturday after throwing just 73 pitches.

''That's not my call,'' Humber said of the timing of his removal. ''Obviously you want to be out there, but at the same time (Guillen) has been around a long time. I'm never going to question the manager on that.

''I feel great. I feel like today was the best I've thrown in awhile.''

The Indians went ahead on LaPorta's two-run double in the fifth, snapping Humber's streak of 13 1-3 scoreless innings. LaPorta was making his first start for the Indians since Aug. 29, the day before he was sent down to Triple-A Columbus.

Adam Dunn singled in the sixth, ending a string of 18 hitless at-bats, and started Chicago's rally. De Aza doubled off the center-field wall, sending Dunn to third and Carmona to the showers after 103 pitches.

Chad Durbin replaced Carmona and walked Brent Morel and Beckham, forcing in Dunn with the tying run. Juan Pierre singled in De Aza, giving Chicago a 3-2 lead.

Duncan greeted reliever Jesse Crain with a homer to left-center in the seventh, tying the score 3-all. Duncan has with five homers and 10 RBIs in seven games over the last week.

But the hero was Rios, not a title he's been able to claim often this season.

''If you win it in that fashion, it makes it a little more fun,'' Rios said. ''Every time you get a win, it's important.''

NOTES: First base umpire Ed Rapuano had to leave the game in the fourth inning because of sore neck. Indians RHP Josh Tomlin (elbow) is doing ''very well'' with his throwing program and the team is leaning toward not shutting him down, manager Manny Acta said. ... DH Travis Hafner (foot) ran the bases on Saturday but Acta said there is still no timetable on his return. 3B Jack Hannahan (calf strain) will rejoin the Indians in Texas, though Acta is not sure when he'll return to game action. The Indians will send Ubaldo Jimenez to the mound for Sunday's series finale against Chicago rookie Zach Stewart. Jimenez is 2-1 with a 5.56 ERA since he was acquired from Colorado on July 31. Stewart is coming off a one-hit shutout of Minnesota on Sept. 5 in which he carried a perfect game into the eighth inning.

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