By JACK MCCARTHY
Jeff Samardzija threw six shutout innings to outduel Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber and the Chicago White Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 6-0 on Wednesday.
First baseman Jose Abreu’s first-inning solo home run gave Samardzija early run support. The two-out homer was his second in two days. Abreu finished 2 for 4 with three RBIs.
Samardzija (1-1) faced the Indians for the first time in his career and allowed six hits, walked two and struck out three.
It was Samardzija’s first shutout since going eight innings on Sept. 17, 2014, for the Oakland A’s in a 6-1 loss to the Texas Rangers.
Abreu added a two-run double in the seventh to chase Kluber (0-2).
Kluber gave up a career-high 13 hits and six earned runs. He struck out six, walked one and had two wild pitches.
Samardzija gave up two singles and a walk to load the bases in the third, but got out of the jam when Brandon Moss filed to right to end the inning.
Adam Eaton doubled to open the third, reached third base on Melky Cabrera’s single to left and scored on Abreu’s double play grounder to make it 2-0.
Samardzija left with the two-run lead after throwing 113 pitches in six innings.
Kluber gave up the game’s third run when Avisail Garcia scored from third on a wild pitch.
Chicago made it 4-0 in the seventh as Cabrera singled home Micah Johnson. Abreu’s double to deep left — the 13th hit given up by Kluber — scored Eaton and Cabrera.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco, pulled after five innings Tuesday night because of general tightness in the cold weather, said he felt fine on Wednesday. “It was maybe the first three or four (pitches) every inning. He was just tight. It was kind of ambiguous,” manager Terry Francona said. “Maybe I overreacted. If that’s the case, that’s one thing I won’t apologize for.” … IF/OF Zach Walters began his rehab assignment Wednesday at Triple-A Columbus. He played third base, going 1 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored.
White Sox: RHP Jake Petricka made his first appearance since being activated from the 15-day disabled list (right forearm strain) on Monday. He worked a scoreless ninth, allowing one hit and one walk.
UP NEXT:
White Sox LHP Chris Sale (2-0, 2.25 ERA) makes his third start of the season and second in Thursday’s opening of a four-game series against the Royals. Sale is 7-8 with a 2.68 ERA in 13 starts against Kansas City.
The Indians are off Thursday and send RHP Danny Salazar (1-0, 3.00 ERA) to open a three-game weekend series on Friday at Detroit. He’ll have five days’ rest since his 4-2 win in his April 18 season debut at Minnesota.