video thumbnail

Lowe tosses six solid innings, gives up two

Indians manager Manny Acta didn't hesitate to run closer Chris Perez out for his third save in three days Thursday afternoon against the Tigers. The series was that important to the first-place Tribe.

But one of the lingering effects of Cleveland's sweep of Detroit this week is a depleted bullpen in an equally important series against the White Sox. The Indians' top two relievers -- Perez and Vinnie Pestano -- have logged heavy innings in recent days.

"We'll be counting on [Derek] Lowe and those guys to pick us up [in Chicago]," Acta said Thursday.

The Indians will need Lowe to go deep into Saturday's game. The 38-year-old veteran is 6-2 with an American League-leading 2.15 ERA (tied with Detroit's Justin Verlander), and he pitched a complete game on May 15 against the Twins.

The White Sox, who won Friday's series opener, will counter with Jake Peavy, who continues to look more and more like the pitcher who won the National League Cy Young Award in 2007 with the Padres. He is 6-1 with a 2.39 ERA (third in the AL), and he has allowed no more than one run in five of his last seven starts.

With starter John Danks on the disabled list because of a shoulder soreness, Peavy knows it'll be important for the rest of the rotation to pitch even better until he returns.

"When you lose one of your guys, the guy who started Opening Day for you, it's never a good thing," Peavy said. "Certainly, other ones of us feel like we can pick up some slack and do all we can do. It's certainly something we all want to do until we can get him back."

Indians: Diaz gets callup
• The Indians recalled infielder Juan Diaz from Double-A Akron on Friday, and optioned pitcher Zach McAllister to Triple-A Columbus. McAllister had been in Cleveland's starting rotation because of an injury to Josh Tomlin, but Tomlin will come off the disabled list to start Monday night against Kansas City.

Diaz, 23, was just batting .232 with three home runs and 18 RBIs in 34 games with the Aeros this season, but the switch-hitting shortstop hit .330 against right-handed pitching. He was acquired from Seattle on June 27, 2010 in a deal that included Russell Branyan.

Diaz made his debut at the Major League level Friday night, striking out in his only at-bat.

• Travis Hafner didn't make the trip to Chicago because of irritation to the meniscus of his right knee. Hafner complained about stiffness in the knee before Wednesday's game against Detroit but played in the game anyway. He is not expected to go on the disabled list.

White Sox: Peavy will be as intense as ever
• With the first-place Indians in town, there has been talk that the series would have more intensity than a normal one during May.

For Peavy, though, there is never a change in intensity.

"I'll be intense as I've ever been," Peavy said, "I'll be ready to compete. I understand that, as a position player, maybe you could have nights where your intensity isn't the same. But as a starting pitcher, if you can't get ready and get intense and excited about your start every fifth day, there's a problem there."

• White Sox designated hitter Adam Dunn stayed hot Friday night, hitting his third home run in his last six games. Dunn has 15 homers and 35 RBIs this season.

Worth noting
• Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis, a native of suburban Northbrook, Ill., is 10-for-21 with five RBIs in six career games at U.S. Cellular Field. He was 2-for-3 with a walk Friday night.

• Peavy already has two complete games this season. He had only one in each of the previous four seasons.

• Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (tightness in left hamstring) and catcher Carlos Santana (foul ball off mask) exited Friday night's game early. Cabrera leads the team with a .301 batting average.

MLB.com Comments