Indians blow lead in 5-4 loss to White Sox

Zach McAllister pitched effectively for six innings and the Indians got 10 hits off White Sox ace Chris Sale, including Russ Canzler's tiebreaking two-run shot.

Then Adam Dunn found his swing — and the Indians were on their way to another agonizing loss.

Dunn homered in consecutive plate appearances, including a clutch three-run shot in the eighth inning, and the White Sox rallied for a 5-4 victory on Monday that kept them one game in front of second-place Detroit in the division.

Dunn's last drive of the night and No. 41 on the season came on an 0-2 pitch from Vinnie Pestano (3-3), who also walked to pinch-hitter Dan Johnson and yielded an infield single to Kevin Youkilis that went off third baseman Jack Hannahan's glove.

"They beat our best guy out of the 'pen," Cleveland manager Manny Acta said. "Unfortunately, walks got us where we're at right now, and it hurt us again today.

"We need to execute better. Just can't allow a three-run homer to lose a game on a fastball right down the middle on an 0-2 count. That's something that has hurt us in the past, and we continue to play young when it comes to those situations."

The Indians dropped to 19-50 since the All-Star break. They got a run in the ninth when Shin-Soo Choo hit a two-out RBI double off Donnie Veal, but the left-hander got Jason Kipnis to ground out to convert his first save opportunity of the season.

"We had a rough season and we're a little short-handed right now, but they got after it," Acta said. "They made one last push, but we didn't get it done."

Dunn's two homers came after he struck out in his two at-bats off McAllister.