Carlos Santana had four RBIs, C.J. Kayfus doubled twice and drove in three runs, and the visiting Cleveland Guardians opened a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox with a 9-5 win on Friday.
Tanner Bibee (8-9) allowed four runs on five hits over 5 1/3 innings for Cleveland, which led 9-1 after four innings before securing its fourth straight win. Bibee struck out seven and walked four.
Chicago went 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position and lost its fifth straight game. Brooks Baldwin hit a solo homer and Curtis Mead singled in two runs.
The Guardians built a 5-0 lead after sending nine batters to the plate in the first inning. Four of the first five batters reached base against Aaron Civale (3-7), who had not allowed an earned run in his previous three starts.
After Santana drove in two with a bases-loaded double, Gabriel Arias struck out and Bo Naylor walked before Kayfus cleared the bases with a three-run double to right field.
Cleveland added to its lead in the third inning when Kyle Manzardo hit a leadoff double and scored on Santana’s single.
Baldwin hit a solo homer with one out in the bottom of the third to put the White Sox on the board. The 380-foot blast was Baldwin’s seventh homer of the season and second in as many games.
The Guardians sent nine batters to the plate again during a three-run fourth inning. With runners on the corners, Kayfus scored on a balk, Steven Kwan struck out, and Daniel Schneemann singled in a run.
Mike Vasil replaced Civale and allowed his first two batters to reach base before Santana drew a bases-loaded walk.
Civale yielded a career-high nine runs on eight hits with two walks and six strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings.
The White Sox cut the deficit to 9-4 with three runs in the sixth inning. Matt Festa replaced Bibee following Mead’s two-run single and allowed a run on Kyle Teel’s fielder’s choice.
Chicago pushed a run across in the seventh when Jacob Amaya’s groundout scored Corey Julks, who doubled to begin the inning.
White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. went 0-for-2, ending his 23-game on-base streak.
–Field Level Media
