Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Franklin Gutierrez hit a grand slam, part of a five-run first inning, as Cleveland topped Chicago, 8-2, in the opener of a three-game set.

Ben Francisco and Ryan Garko also drove in runs for the Indians, who snapped a five-game skid in impressive fashion.

Tribe starter Aaron Laffey (3-3) let up seven hits and two runs -- one earned -- over six innings for the win.

Toby Hall collected two hits, scored once and knocked in a run for the White Sox, whose two-game win streak came to a halt. Orlando Cabrera also had two hits and an RBI.

Mark Buehrle (2-6) went five-plus innings, allowing eight hits and seven runs -- six earned -- in the loss for Chicago.

After the initial barrage, Cleveland put the game out of reach with a bizarre sixth inning.

Jhonny Peralta doubled to lead off and Garko plated him with a ground-rule double to right-center. Later in the frame, with the bases loaded and two out against Ehren Wassermann, Paul Konerko dropped an easy throw from Alexei Ramirez at second base on Jamey Carroll's grounder to make it 7-2.

Then, with Francisco at the plate, Wassermann caught Carroll leaning off first. While Konerko tracked him down, David Dellucci broke for home. Konerko threw in time to get a force but catcher Hall dropped the ball allowing another run to score. Francisco walked and the bases were loaded once more, but Victor Martinez fanned swinging to prevent further damage.

Masa Kobayashi came on in relief of Laffey and hurled two innings of one-hit, shutout ball and Edward Mujica finished the game with a scoreless ninth.

Cleveland's barrage began early. Carroll doubled with one out, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Francisco. Martinez walked, Peralta singled and Garko also drew a free pass, setting the stage for Gutierrez blasting a pitch into the left-field bleachers.

Chicago answered with two in the third on a Hall double and a Cabrera single, but despite having at least one baserunner in every inning up to the sixth, the Sox failed to cut into their deficit further.