McCarthy struck out eight in his first start in more than four months to help the Chicago White Sox to a rain-shortened 2-1 win over the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night.

McCarthy (4-7) allowed one run, two hits and walked one over 5 1-3 innings. He had gone 0-4 _ all in relief _ since his last win June 6, when he pitched two shutout innings in a 4-3 victory over playoff-bound Detroit.

``I'm not sure if it shows, but I feel more comfortable (starting),'' McCarthy said. ``I have a better idea what I'm doing in terms of getting ready and preparing for when I get out there.

``I don't know if this was a tryout. I didn't look at it that way. It just felt good to have one last start before the season ended.''

The White Sox had the bases loaded and one out in the eighth inning when play was stopped. The umpires waited one hour and 58 minutes before calling the game.

``I was appreciative of them waiting,'' Indians manager Eric Wedge said. ``It's a one-run game and we had two at-bats left.''

Charlie Haeger worked 1 2-3 innings for his first save in six career appearances.

In his first start since lasting four innings in a loss at Tampa Bay on May 16, McCarthy dominated an Indians lineup that entered the game as the third-highest scoring team in baseball. He tied his career-high strikeout total, set Sept. 11, 2005, in a relief appearance of 5 2-3 innings.

``I felt like it was the best I've done all year of mixing my pitches and having command,'' McCarthy said.

Manager Ozzie Guillen said he isn't sure what McCarthy's role may be next year.

``It's something we'll talk about,'' he said. ``We haven't decided. If we need a guy (for the rotation), it should be him.''

The White Sox salvaged the final game in Cleveland after being routed by a combined 20-1 score over two games. The fourth win in 13 games for the defending World Series champions broke the Indians' four-game winning streak.

Ross Gload hit his third homer with two outs in the first against Fausto Carmona (1-10) to put Chicago ahead 1-0. Alex Cintron's bases-loaded sacrifice fly made it 2-0 in the sixth.

Meanwhile, McCarthy used a good fastball and a sharp, overhand curve to stymie the Indians, striking out the side on 11 pitches in the fifth.

Right fielder Rob Mackowiak helped keep the Indians hitless in the third by making a leaping catch at the wall on a ball hit by rookie Kevin Kouzmanoff. One out later, Grady Sizemore lined a single to left-centre, but was erased trying to steal second.

Andy Marte ruined McCarthy's shutout bid with one out in the sixth by hitting his fourth homer, a 406-foot shot into the left-field seats.

``I hit a mistake,'' Marte said. ``He didn't make many mistakes. He was throwing very good, but it was a high pitch. When you get one of those you try not to miss it.''

Carmona took his 10th straight loss since winning his major league debut 7-2 against Detroit on April 15. He allowed two runs and six hits over six innings, walking two and striking out six in his fourth start since returning from triple-A Buffalo on Sept. 5.

``He threw the ball well tonight,'' Wedge said. ``His tempo has been better, his pitch-to-pitch focus has been better.''

The rookie right-hander went 0-6 with three blown saves as a reliever, losing four times in a six-day span from July 30 to Aug. 5 as the team's closer.

Notes: Chicago's 10 strikeouts gave them 1,032, two more than the previous team mark set in 2004. LHP Rafael Perez fanned ex-Indian Jim Thome to break the record in the eighth. ... White Sox OF Jerry Owens singled in the third inning for his first career hit and moments later got his first stolen base. ... Indians C Victor Martinez went 0-for-3, snapping his 13-game hitting streak. ... The Indians' two hits tied a season low set May 29 in an 11-0 loss to the White Sox.