Fields homers, White Sox end four-game skid with 4-2 win over Indians

White Sox end four-game skid with 4-2 win

CHICAGO — Josh Fields homered and Gavin Floyd pitched into the seventh inning, helping the Chicago White Sox end a four-game skid with a 4-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday.

Paul Konerko had a sacrifice fly in the first to end the White Sox’s scoreless drought at 23 innings.

Floyd (4-5) allowed two runs — one earned — and five hits in 6 2-3 innings. He struck out seven and walked one.

Fields put the White Sox ahead in the fourth inning with a solo shot with two outs. It was his third homer of the season and first since May 5 at Kansas City.

The White Sox took advantage of Indians shortstop Jhonny Peralta’s throwing error in the sixth. With two outs and runners on first and second, Fields hit a routine grounder to Peralta, who made a high throw to first that took first baseman Ryan Garko off the base. Then with the bases loaded, catcher Victor Martinez allowed a pass ball that scored Konerko and gave Chicago a 3-1 lead.

Floyd hit Garko with a pitch in the seventh, then with two outs, Ben Francisco chased Floyd with a single. Jamey Carroll greeted White Sox reliever Octavio Dotel with an RBI single. White Sox reliever Matt Thornton limited the damage by striking out Martinez with runners on first and third.

Thornton struck out the first two batters in the eighth and got Travis Hafner to pop out to end the inning. Thornton struck out six straight batters dating back to Monday, one short of the club record set by Joe Cowley in 1986.

White Sox closer Bobby Jenks pitched a scoreless ninth for his 13th save in 14 opportunities.

Indians starter Jeremy Sowers (1-3) allowed three runs — two earned — and five hits in six innings. He had five strikeouts and walked two.

Scott Podsednik had an RBI single in the seventh. It ended Chicago’s 0 for 25 streak with runners in scoring position.

After being shutout in back-to-back games, the White Sox got a Bronx cheer from the crowd in the first inning when Podsednik scored on Konerko’s sacrifice fly in the first inning.

Floyd escaped a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning on Hafner’s warning track fly out in right.

White Sox right fielder Jermaine Dye served the second game of a two-game suspension for spiking his helmet and arguing with home plate umpire Mike DiMuro on May 13.

Peralta reached on shortstop Alexei Ramirez’s error and moved to third on Hafner’s double then scored on Mark DeRosa’s bloop single. Ramirez saved a run when he made a barehanded pickup of Garko’s slow roller and threw out Hafner attempting to score from third.