Cease Hit On Arm By Comebacker, White Sox Top Indians 1-0
CLEVELAND (AP) — Chicago starter Dylan Cease left after being struck on the right arm by a comebacker in the sixth inning as the White Sox beat Cleveland 1-0 on Friday night in Indians ace Shane Bieber's return.
The White Sox said Cease has a right triceps contusion and that X-rays were negative.
Bieber retired all nine hitters he faced in his first start for the Indians since June 13. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner missed over three months because of a strained right shoulder.
Luis Robert hit a leadoff home run in the fifth for the White Sox, who clinched the AL Central on Thursday despite dealing with key injuries to several players.
Cease (13-7) struck out nine and allowed three hits in 5 1/3 innings, lowering his ERA to 3.95. Craig Kimbrel struck out the side in the eighth and Liam Hendricks pitched the ninth for his 35th save.
Cease breezed into the sixth but was hit on his pitching arm by a one-hopper from Bradley Zimmer that rolled behind the mound with one out. Cease grabbed his arm and knelt behind the mound.
Chicago manager Tony La Russa, pitching coach Ethan Katz, a team trainer and the White Sox infielders surrounded Cease, who got to his feet and walked on the infield grass.
Cease threw a couple of pitches from the mound to catcher Zack Collins but walked to the dugout after a discussion with La Russa.
Bieber struck out three and threw 34 pitches. Cleveland interim manager DeMarlo Hale said before the game that Bieber would be on a pitch count. He threw 57 pitches in a minor league rehab game Sunday.
Bieber, who made it clear during his lengthy rehab that he wanted to return this season, is 7-4 with a 3.17 ERA in 15 starts. He went 8-1 with a 1.63 ERA in 12 starts during the shortened 2020 season.
Robert homered off Trevor Stephan (3-1), extending his hitting streak to 13 games. The blast came on an 0-2 pitch and cleared the wall in left-center.
Cleveland left-hander Anthony Gose, making his second major league appearance as a pitcher, struck out three in 1 1/3 innings.
MOVES
White Sox right-hander Mike Wright Jr. served the first of a two-game suspension Friday after Major League Baseball ruled he intentionally threw at the Angels' Shohei Ohtani last week.
Indians shortstop Amed Rosario was activated from the COVID-19 list. He had previously been on the bereavement list and missed additional time because of health and safety protocols.
TRAINER'S ROOM
White Sox: OF Adam Engel was out of the lineup after feeling discomfort in his leg running the bases in Thursday's second game.
UP NEXT
White Sox: RHP Lance Lynn (10-5, 2.47) hasn't won since July 25. He'll make his third start since coming off the injured list (sore right knee) on Sept. 10.
Indians: Rookie RHP Eli Morgan (3-7, 5.68) outpitched Yankees ace Gerrit Cole on Sept. 19, allowing one run in six innings.
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