Cleveland, OH -- (Sports Network) - Alexei Ramirez hit a two-run home run as the Chicago White Sox avoided a three-game sweep at the hands of the Cleveland Indians with a 4-2 win at Progressive Field.

Orlando Cabrera drove in a run while Nick Swisher hit a solo home run for the White Sox, who had dropped five of six coming into the game.

Javier Vazquez (11-12) worked six innings and gave up two runs on five hits with a walk and five strikeouts for Chicago, which moved a game ahead of Minnesota for first place in the AL Central. The Twins were 5-4 losers in 11 innings at Toronto Wednesday night.

Jhonny Peralta hit a two-run double while Jeremy Sowers (2-8) was handed the loss for giving up four runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings of work for the Indians, who have lost four of their last six.

Neither team had a baserunner until Asdrubal Cabrera walked with two outs in the bottom of the third. He was subsequently caught stealing to end the inning.

Chicago threatened in the fourth when its first two batters reached base. Sowers, though, got Jermaine Dye to pop out to second, Paul Konerko to look at strike three and Ramirez to ground out.

The White Sox did get on the board in the fifth. Swisher led off the frame with a blast that went well over the wall in left field, his 23rd homer of the season. Josh Fields later hit a one-out single and moved to second on a groundout from Toby Hall. Cabrera then doubled for a 2-0 lead.

The Indians got their first hit of the game with one out in the fifth on a single from Shin-Soo Choo. Ryan Garko followed with a single to put men on the corners, but Sal Fasano struck out and Andy Marte hit into a fielder's choice to end the inning.

In the sixth, Ramirez golfed a pitch over the wall, which also plated Dye, in left field for a 4-0 lead.

Cleveland cut its deficit in half in the sixth. Cabrera led off with a single and moved to third as Grady Sizemore followed with a double. The next two batters recorded outs, but Peralta came through with a double to right that brought home both runners and made it a 4-2 contest.

The Indians threatened in the eighth as they had runners at the corners with one out, but Bobby Jenks relieved Matt Thornton, who got the final out of the seventh, and induced a double play from Garko to end the threat.

Jenks stayed in to begin the ninth and gave up a lead off single to Jamey Carroll, but induced a ground ball double play from Kelly Shoppach and struck out Cabrera to pick up his 28th save of the season.

Game Notes

The White Sox were without third baseman Joe Crede, left fielder Carlos Quentin and center fielder Ken Griffey Jr. for the game. None of the players are expected to miss significant time, with Quentin and Griffey expected to play on Friday when the team opens a three-game series against the Angles...Cleveland hits the road for a three-game set in Kansas City starting on Friday...Swisher set a career-high in home runs...Choo has an eight-game hitting streak and has reached base safely in 24 straight...Chicago has won 10 of 15 against Cleveland this season.