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CHICAGO, Ill. — The Indians, as promised by manager Manny Acta, gave the White Sox their best shot Monday night at U.S. Cellular Field. Adam Dunn, unfortunately, was more than willing to return the favor twofold. Dunn hit two homers, the second a game-winning three-run drive in the eighth inning, as Chicago beat the Indians, 5-4, and retained their one-game lead in the AL Central over Detroit. The Tigers beat the Royals, 6-2. On Sunday, Acta called Vinnie Pestano his most consistent pitcher this season. Monday night Pestano was uncharacteristically inconsistent and it cost the Indians a chance to play spoiler. Pestano (3-3) surrendered Dunn's three-run game winner on a fat 0-2 pitch with two out in the eighth. "They beat our best guy out of the pen," said Acta. "Walks got us to where we are today and they hurt us again." The Indians have a good winning formula. It's worked only 63 times this season, but it's usually foolproof. They need the starter to go at least six innings with the lead. Then comes the bullpen, usually in this order: Joe Smith, Pestano and closer Chris Perez. Monday night the formula almost worked again. Zach McAllister, born about two hours from Chicago in Chillicothe, Ill., made his second impressive start of the season against Chicago. He went six innings, allowed two runs and struck out seven. More importantly, he handed Smith a 3-2 lead in the seventh. Smith struck out the side in order before passing the baton to Pestano. Pestano retired the first batter, but walked pinch-hitter Dan Johnson. He retired Alejandro De Aza on a grounder to first as Johnson went to second, but Kevin Youkilis singled off Jack Hannahan's glove at third to bring Dunn to the plate with two on. Dunn has struck out 207 times this year. Pestano, ahead in the count, 0-2, was just about to make it 208 when he made a mistake. "I wanted to come in and move his feet, but I pushed it up and out right into his barrel," said Pestano. It was the first time Pestano has allowed a homer on an 0-2 pitch in his career. "Vinnie has been terrific," said Acta. "That's why you can't complain about him at all. He's done an outstanding job. "The walk to Johnson hurt him and he could have executed better on the 0-2 pitch to Dunn." It was the sixth time this season a Tribe pitcher has allowed a homer on a 0-2 pitch. Twins pitchers have allowed 12 homers on 0-2 pitches. McAllister struck out Dunn in his first two at bats on nothing but fastballs. He tried the same strategy with two out in the sixth, but Dunn drove a 1-2 pitch high into the ivy behind the center-field fence for homer No. 40. If he'd hit it any higher, it would have had a vapor trail. Dunn has six seasons of 40 or more homers. He joined Frank Thomas, Paul Konerko, Jim Thome, Albert Belle and Jermaine Dye as the only White Sox to hit 40 or more homers in a season. McAllister was making his first start at U.S. Cellular and he had a bunch of family and friends among the crowd of 20,206. "I don't know how many people were here, but I left a lot of tickets," he said. McAllister grew up rooting for the Cubs. "I was never a White Sox fan ... never," he said. Said Acta, "Zach was fantastic. He had good life on his fastball. He was throwing it by people." Chris Sale came into the game with a 2-0 record against the Indians, but they knocked the 17-game winner around. The Indians scored three runs on 10 hits in seven innings off the left-hander. They could have had more if they'd hit better with runners in scoring position (0-for-6). Asdrubal Cabrera gave the Indians a 1-0 lead with a two-out double in the third. Russ Canzler made it 3-1 with a two-run homer in the sixth. Shin-Soo Choo made it 5-4 with a two-out double in the ninth before Donnie Veal earned his first save. "With the exception of my performance, we played a great game," said Pestano. To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158

How can anyone not enjoy this? Each day brings the potential for momentous emotional swings. One minute's fulfillment can become the next's frustration with a single swing. Jim Leyland's eyes darted back and forth between those questioning him after the Tigers' 6-2 series-opening victory over Kansas City on Monday night and the television in his office showing the White Sox-Indians game. He said that as long as the Indians stayed in the lead, he would remain in that exact position -- feet crossed and propped up on his desk. This was the same man who didn't change his underwear for nearly two weeks during the September march through the American League Central last year. He didn't want to mess with good luck. Of course, as soon as I asked him how much he was enjoying the tug o' war with the White Sox, regardless of the pressures, he abruptly cut me off with a couple expletives. Chicago's Adam Dunn had just blasted a solo home run to centerfield, cutting the Indians' lead to 3-2 in the sixth. Granted, this wasn't the first time somebody responded to a question of mine with expletives. It's safe assuming there were plenty of other choice words uttered throughout Detroit a couple of innings later when Dunn ripped a three-run homer to give Chicago its first lead. No ground gained. No ground lost. The Tigers remained a game out of the divisional lead after the White Sox won, 5-4. It's a source of great apprehension among fans that the Tigers have made this season more difficult than necessary considering the talent amassed. But that the final nine days of this season will bring with them tremendous drama is something that should be appreciated, regardless of the outcome. "We're not in a must-win situation just yet," said Justin Verlander, who barring a playoff appearance made his final home start of 2012, getting his 16th victory. "But we might be getting there soon. There's a lot of excitement because everyone realizes how important every inning becomes now." Verlander gave everyone a scare when he fell awkwardly on his left shoulder retrieving a wild throw to the mound from Alex Avila after the catcher's arm inadvertently brushed the home-plate umpire. Verlander said it felt as if the shoulder might have popped out, although he wasn't sure. Leyland and head trainer Kevin Rand bolted out of the dugout to check on their ace. And the 31,521 at Comerica Park held their breaths as Verlander tossed a couple of practice pitches and declared himself ready to resume battle. "It's no secret that we've got to get as many wins as we can," Leyland said. "Like I've said before, you're only running out of time if you're not winning. We had a good day. But tomorrow is another one." The Tigers probably don't need a four-game sweep of the Royals, but a series split might prove disastrous. There are no excuses for these Tigers if they leave Comerica Park following Thursday's series finale and don't return until spring of 2013. The chase for the AL Central title that nobody apparently wants has proven exhilarating and exhausting. But, you have to admit, it beats the alternative. www.freep.com/sports (Drew Sharp)

Leaning left? Ventura wouldn't confirm that Jake Peavy's next start will be moved from Wednesday to Thursday against the Rays, but all signs point to such a move. Before Monday's game, left-hander Hector Santiago said he was available in the bullpen but had been told to prepare in case he's needed to start Wednesday. That would make sense because Santiago has limited left-handers to a .220 average and one home run in 91 at-bats. The Indians were batting .225 against left-handers entering Monday. Peavy in 7 starts against CLE (2009-12) 3-2, 3.97 ERA, 47.6 IP, 41 hits, 38 K'S 2 starts against TB, none this year 1-1, 11.17 ERA, 9.6 IP, 17 hits, 7 walks

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Sep 25, 2012 -> 12:01 AM) Yep. Crede hit his 2 homers to beat Cleveland on 9/20/05. Dunn's feel even bigger. No way. There, you had the feelings of weeks of stress, 15 game lead, CLE was playing out of their minds and it almost seemed inevitable they would pass the Sox the last week or so...this year, with all the injuries, rookies, the starters pushed past the limit, the superstars on DET, the national "experts/prognosicators," everything's pretty much against the White Sox except hope and actually playing the games.

9. Liriano/Kluber AND Chen/A. Sanchez 8. Peavy or Santiago/Masterson AND Guthrie/Porcello 7. Peavy or Quintana/Shields AND Mendoza/Fister 6. Floyd/Quintana vs. M. Moore AND Diamond/Scherzer 5. TBA/Sale vs. Hellickson AND Walters/Verlander 4. TBA/Sale vs. Price/??? AND

QUOTE (Special K @ Sep 24, 2012 -> 10:38 PM) How many more games until Meyers $10 M option vests and what does it take to do so, simply close out one more game? 5 or 6 I think. Fathom was tracking it more closely. Theoretically, he could be the close to full-time closer the final 9 games and still come up a game or two short of reaching the incentive benchmark.

Discuss/analyze. Take a deep breath, we're still alive and kicking.

QUOTE (JoshPR @ Sep 24, 2012 -> 08:48 PM) 5-4 from det and 4-5 from us gets us the division You mean Sale vs. Verlander, Game 163 rematch

Poor Fathom. Well, it was due to end sometime. Just not good timing.

This is insane. Hopefully Veal can come through. We simply cannot lose this game, no matter what. Season on the line tonight.

Bad Matt Thornton strikes again. Can never manage to pitch out of an inning without at least 2 baserunners reaching.

There's one problem. If Addison Reed can't be trusted to get the bottom 3 of the Indians' order with a 2 run lead, we have no closer.

Has Ventura lost his mind?

Bottom 3 of the Indians' order. Please God, no walks. Is that too much to request?

Andy the Clown, where are you? I don't want to crow about a victory yet because there's still so many things to possibly go wrong with our bullpen.

QUOTE (fathom @ Sep 24, 2012 -> 08:32 PM) If that didn't leave the park, I was throwing my computer. My computer froze here in China...but I could just tell with the swing, Pestano's reaction, Dunn's reaction. Knew it was gone....then a couple of seconds later to actually watch it was cool. Dan Johnson for Beckham might go down as the KEY decision of the game. We'll have to wait and see if the bullpen can actually get 3 outs still.

Sign Dunn to an extension, lol. How quickly the anti-Dunn tide can shift and change.

Hit with RISP but no run, lol. Sounds familiar these days.

Wow. A good managerial decision there. Now let's hope whoever plays for Beckham doesn't mess up, lol.

QUOTE (Noonskadoodle @ Sep 24, 2012 -> 07:35 PM) Would have been a DP ball up the middle. SAFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That ball was hit really hard. We'll never know, I guess. I think it would have gotten through, but maybe that's my Viciedo bias. Others will say it would have been a tailor-made DP ball and that Viciedo's a goat...if not for Alex Rios, he would be crucified, etc. Of course, Alexei's been just as bad or worse in those situations recently. A .290 average with runners in scoring position isn't bad at all. It is better than our team average.

Only the White Sox can manage to tie the game up in that fashion. LOL. 1-1 at least.

Dammit. Should have been a single up the middle if not for hitting off the pitcher's rubber. Jesus. Can we catch a single break???

If we don't score any runs in this situation, it might be better just to turn it off and come back in one hour. LOL. Should be 2-0 White Sox. Instead, it's 1-0 Indians.

Rios was out there. Make-up call, maybe.

Shoo being left-handed....Rios would have been a dead duck. Good decision.