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After beating Sale, Indians top Quintana, White Sox 4-3

CHICAGO (AP) Corey Kluber still is considered an ace in the Cleveland Indians' clubhouse.

''There's been a couple of hiccups, but, I promise you, the day he pitches we're thrilled,'' manager Terry Francona said.

Kluber allowed two runs over 7 1/3 innings and Cleveland beat a top Chicago White Sox pitcher for the second straight day in a 4-3 win Wednesday.

After sending Chris Sale to his first loss after a 9-0 start, the Indians got three runs and five hits in six innings against Jose Quintana (5-4). Quintana's ERA, an AL-best 1.98 at the start of the day, rose to 2.22.

Before Tuesday, the White Sox had been 15-3 in games started by Sale and Quintana.

Cleveland, which trailed by six games before play on May 10, closed within a half-game of the AL Central-leading White Sox, who lost for the ninth time in 12 games. Chicago finished a 3-7 homestand in which it scored more than three runs just twice.

''It didn't go well for us,'' manager Robin Ventura said. ''Offensively, we can do a lot more.''

Kluber (4-5) has won his last two outings following a slow start. The 2014 AL Cy Young Award winner gave up seven hits and struck out nine. Just one of the two runs he allowed was earned.

Cody Allen struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth to remain perfect in 11 save chances.

Lonnie Chisenhall hit a two-run triple, Yan Gomes had an RBI triple and Juan Uribe had a sacrifice fly.

Melky Cabrera hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning, and Jose Abreu had three hits for the White Sox.

After the Indians scored six runs in 3 1/3 innings against Sale on Tuesday, Chisenhall put Cleveland ahead in the second with a triple that rolled to the right-field wall after Adam Eaton missed on his attempt for a diving backhand catch.

Uribe's fly made it 3-0 in the third.

''Once the offense put up those early runs, I was really just trying to make it stand up,'' Kluber said. ''I think we just did a good job of getting ahead of guys today. That was the biggest thing, putting them in defensive counts so they're not sitting on fastballs. I think that's the key to most pitchers' success, getting ahead in the count and working ahead.''

Chicago cut the gap in the sixth when Todd Frazier walked, stole second, took third as Gomes' throw sailed into center field for an error and came home when center fielder Rajai Davis overran the ball for another error.

Gomes' triple boosted the lead to 4-1 in the eighth. Cabrera greeted Bryan Shaw with a home run on a 1-2 pitch in the bottom half.

PENNANT FEVER?

Despite closing the gap, the Indians say they are not focused on the standings.

''For me, personally, I think it's too early to start looking at the standings,'' Kluber said. ''But it's always nice to win a divisional series. These games count big time, so it's nice to come in here and take three out of four.''

SLUMPING

The White Sox have scored 20 runs in their last eight games and are 6 for 52 (.115) with runners in scoring position in their last seven games.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Indians: SS Francisco Lindor was held out of the starting lineup after a three-hit game on Tuesday. It was his fourth three-hit game in his last 10 games.

UP NEXT

Indians: RHP Trevor Bauer (3-2, 4.31 ERA) starts Friday against visiting Baltimore and RHP Mike Wright (2-3, 4.97) in the opener of a three-game series.

White Sox: RHP Miguel Gonzalez (0-1, 4.57 ERA) looks to keep the No. 5 spot in the rotation at Kansas City in the opener of a 10-game trip. LHP Danny Duffy (0-0, 2.13) is to start for the Royals.

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