Gavin Floyd is still looking for his first win in September, and that's bad news for the sliding Chicago White Sox.
Floyd gave up three home runs Tuesday and the White Sox lost 4-3 to Cleveland in the opener of a day-night doubleheader. Chicago has lost eight of its last nine games.
Asdrubal Cabrera's leadoff homer in the fourth gave the Indians a 3-2 lead. Travis Hafner hit a two-run homer in the first and Kosuke Fukudome added a solo shot in the fifth.
"I didn't think they were terrible pitches, they just got the right part of the bat on the ball," said Floyd, who is 0-2 with a 5.16 ERA in four September starts. "They could have just as easily been fly balls, but today they weren't."
Though he didn't like the result, Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen liked what he saw from Floyd, who gave up four runs and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings.
"Gavin threw the ball very good," he said. "He got hurt by the long balls, but it was a good outing for him. Obviously you can't be happy when you lose the game, but he pitched well."
Floyd (12-12) struck out seven and walked none.
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Cleveland and Chicago, which were eliminated from the AL Central race last week when Detroit clinched the division, are battling for second place. The Indians lead the White Sox by 2½ games.
Guillen has mixed feelings about playing for the runner-up spot in the division.
"I think when you're not in first place, everything else is overrated, but I look at second place for motivation and work for pride," he said.
Cleveland starter Fausto Carmona (7-15) allowed three runs in six innings and won for the first time since Aug. 17.
Hafner's two-run homer in the first gave Cleveland the lead, but the White Sox tied it in the second.
Chicago's first four hitters reached in the inning. Singles by A.J. Pierzynski and Alex Rios started the rally. Adam Dunn, batting .165 when the game began, slapped a double down the third-base line that scored Pierzynski. De Aza's single to right tied the game.
De Aza added a run-scoring groundout in the sixth.
Dunn doubled to left again later in the game, and Guillen said he likes how his designated hitter is ending the season.
"I think he's been swinging the bat good lately. He's made good contact and he's not trying to hit home runs," Guillen said. "I'm happy. I don't like to see someone suffering all season long. I think he's having more fun. Some people might say it's too late, but for him it's good to see him go out there and finish."
Cabrera hit a drive to right on an 0-2 pitch to put Cleveland in front again. Cabrera has connected in consecutive games to give him 24 on the year, tying the Cleveland record for shortstops set by Jhonny Peralta in 2005.
Cabrera, who entered Saturday's game against Minnesota in an 0-for-20 slump, has eight hits in his last 13 at-bats.
Joe Smith, Vinnie Pestano and Chris Perez, who recorded his 35th save, blanked Chicago over the final three innings.
