CLEVELAND, April 23 (UPI) -- Five days after dominating Cleveland at Comiskey Park, Todd Ritchie allowed just one run and three hits while striking out eight over eight innings Tuesday night as the Chicago White Sox handed the Indians their first home loss of the season, 5-1.
With the win, Ritchie (2-1) improved to 3-0 with a 1.32 ERA lifetime against the Indians. Last Thursday, Ritchie allowed one run and six hits in seven innings as the White Sox beat the Indians, 7-1.
Paul Konerko went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a walk and an RBI for the White Sox, who gave the Indians, the last undefeated team at home, their first setback at Jacobs Field after seven consecutive wins. Cleveland has lost seven of eight games overall.
Jim Thome led off the bottom of the second inning with a home run to right, his sixth blast of the season, to give the Indians a 1-0 lead.
Chicago struck back in the top of the fourth, when Konerko walked, advanced to second on Jose Valentin's single, and scored on Carlos Lee's double to right. Outfielder Matt Lawton's ensuing throw eluded cut-off man Ricky Gutierrez and trickled on the infield grass, allowing Valentin to scoot home and give the White Sox the lead for good.
Chicago padded its advantage in the eighth. Ordonez doubled to left and scored on Konerko's single to center. Mark Johnson doubled down the right field line, scoring Konerko and giving Ritchie a three-run lead.
After Ordonez added an insurance run in the top of the ninth by doubling in Ray Durham, the Indians made things interesting in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases off reliever Keith Foulke before Travis Fryman grounded into a game-ending double play.
