By MATT CARLSON
CHICAGO — Tim Anderson homered for the first time in more than a year on a three-hit night, Mike Clevinger tossed five shutout innings in his return from the injured list and the Chicago White Sox topped the Cleveland Guardians 7-2 on Saturday night.
Andrew Vaughn hit a two-run homer and Yoán Moncada had two RBIs to help the White Sox beat Cleveland for the second straight night following a six-game losing streak.
Anderson, a two-time All-Star at shortstop, hadn’t gone deep since July 15, 2022, at Minnesota. The 2019 AL batting champion has been dogged by injuries the past two seasons, including a sprained left knee and right shoulder soreness this year.
“It felt good,” said Anderson, who has 98 career homers. “It took me long enough to get it.”
With 10 multihit games in July, Anderson believes he’s getting back into a groove at the plate.
“I’m really not worried about homers than if I could try to find my swing back,” he said. “Then everything else will come back. Just been working on trying to find my swing and it showed tonight.”
Luis Robert Jr. and Eloy Jiménez drove in runs with singles in the seventh inning to help Chicago pull away.
Clevinger (4-4) allowed just two singles, walked none and struck out three against his original team after missing six weeks with right biceps inflammation. The right-hander had last pitched on June 14 against the Dodgers in Los Angeles, and left after 72 pitches in this one.
Clevinger and manager Pedro Grifol said the righty’s stuff was lively in a bullpen session on Monday.
“He just carried it out here today,” Grifol said. “He had adrenaline. His fastball was good. It had late life on it. His changeup was good. He mixed in some breaking balls.”
Steven Kwan had three hits and José Ramirez added two. Tyler Freeman drove in a run off Keynan Middleton, the second of three Chicago relievers, in the seventh. Cleveland added a run on a double-play grounder off Bryan Shaw, who tossed the final two innings, in the ninth.
Cleveland manager Terry Francona was ejected in the first inning by first base umpire Todd Tichenor for arguing after Kwan was doubled off first. Francona remained tied with Hall of Famer Casey Stengel for 13th on the career wins list with 1,926.
Logan Allen (4-4) was tagged for five runs on eight hits and three walks. Cleveland, on the bubble in the AL playoff picture, slipped back under .500 at 52-53.
“He got hurt on his fastball up,” said bench coach DeMarlo Hale, who took over for Francona. “The solo home run to Anderson and the home run to Vaughn.”
Anderson crushed a 429-foot drive to left to lead off the bottom of the first.
Moncada singled with the bases loaded in the fifth to make it 3-0.
Vaughn his his 13th homer, to left-center, in the sixth to up Chicago’s lead to 5-0.
TITO TOSSED
Francona was ejected for the first time this season.
Kwan opened the game with a soft single. With one out and Kwan running, Chicago left fielder Zach Remillard made a diving catch on José Ramirez’s liner.
Remillard’s throw was relayed to first for a close play and Tichenor called Kwan out as he tried to return.
Kwan stood on first as if he expected Francona to challenge the call. Tichenor signaled something to the Cleveland dugout, then the Guardians manager jogged on to the field, barked at Tichenor and was booted.
Hale explained the Guardians wanted reviews on both Remillard’s catch and the play at first. But Tichenor told the Cleveland bench that more than 15 seconds had elapsed and a challenge was no longer possible.
“I just think 15 seconds is too short when you’re talking about two plays,” Hale said.
WHITE SOX MOVES
Besides reinstating Clevinger from the IL, the White Sox selected the contracts of RHP Edgar Navarro and RHP Bryan Shaw from Triple-A Charlotte on Saturday.
THOR ON TRACK
Francona said before the game that RHP Noah Syndergaard, acquired from the Dodgers on Wednesday, is on track to make his first start with the Guardians on Monday at Houston. Syndergaard hasn’t pitched since June 7 because of a blister.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Guardians: RHP Cal Quantrill (shoulder inflammation) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Sunday
White Sox: INF/OF Andrew Vaughn (bone bruise) returned and played first base after missing two games.
UP NEXT
Guardians RHP Aaron Civale (4-2, 2.54) faces White Sox RHP Michael Kopech. (4-8, 4.29) in the series finale on Sunday.
