The White Sox wasted no time lighting up Sale in the top of the first as Leury Garcia easily lined a base hit to right to start. Yoan Moncada was plunked and Jose Abreu effortlessly doubled to right to score Garcia and put the game away 3 batters into the game. Yolmer Sanchez pinch ran for Moncada who was in pain after getting plunked and he scored on the James McCann single. Somehow Elroy Jimenez struck out but Jon Jay singled in Abreu to ice the game. Jose Rondon walked to load the bases but somehow Ryan Cordell whiffed. Charlie Tilson grounded out to third to end the inning with the White Sox up 3-0.
Sanchez went to second with Rondon going to third for the bottom of the first where the BoSox fought back against Reynaldo Lopez. Mr. Mookie Betts grounded out to second although Rafael Devers singled. Xander Bogaerts whiffed badly but JD Martinez crushed his 17th home run of the year to put the BoSox back in the game. Jackie Bradley Jr singled to left and Michael Chavis doubled to center, but Marco Hernandez flied out to left to end the inning with the BoSox down 3-2.
Sale cruised in the top of the second as Garcia flied out to right to begin. Sanchez whiffed and Abreu grounded out to second to end the inning. Lopez cruised in the bottom of the second as Eduardo Nunez flied out to center, Sandy Leon grounded out to third and Mr. Mookie whiffed to end the inning.
Sale got tagged in the top of the third as McCann blasted a 50,000 foot home run to increase the lead. Jimenez whiffed but Jay was plunked. Rondon bunted Jay to second and Cordell singled Jay home. Tilson grounded out to second to end the inning with the Chisox ahead 5-2.
The BoSox fought back in the bottom of the third as Garcia misplayed a pop up by Devers which dropped in for a double. Bogaerts grounded out to short and Martinez whiffed, but Devers moved to third when McCann's pickoff throw went to center. JBJ walked and a wild pitch scored Devers and moved JBJ to second. Chavis hit a ball to deep second and was called out on a bang bang play. Sox manager Alex Cora challenged the call and it was overturned, base hit for Chavis. Hernandez popped up to third to end the inning but it was 5-3 Chicago.
Sale froze Garcia for strike three to begin the top of the fourth before Sanchez grounded out to short. Abreu looked at strike three to end the inning. Nunez lined out to second to start the bottom of the fourth before Leon singled. Mr. Mookie flied out to center before Devers popped up to first to end the inning.
Sale got McCann to strike out swinging to start the top of the fifth before Jimenez grounded out to short. Jay also grounded out to short to end the inning. Bogaerts singled to start the bottom of the fifth but Martinez banged into a double play. JBJ grounded out to short to end the inning.
Sale dominated the top of the sixth inning in his last frame. Rondon was frozen for strike three, Cordell whiffed and Tilson struck out swinging to end the inning. Sale was a complete mixed bag, he had 2 bad innings out of 6 but it cost him as he allowed 5 runs in 6 innings.
Chavis grounded out to short to start the bottom of the sixth before Hernandez singled. Nunez popped up to second and Leon flied out to center to end the inning.
The White Sox got an insurance run off Marcus Walden in the top of the seventh inning as Garcia doubled to start. Garcia moved to third on the bunt by Sanchez before scoring on the single by Abreu. McCann grounded out to third and Jimenez whiffed to end the inning but it was 6-3 Chicago.
The BoSox fought back against Aaron Bummer with Jay in at right field. Mr. Mookie grounded out to short but Devers singled. Bogaerts whiffed but Martinez doubled home Devers. JBJ singled to put the tying on at first...but Chavis flied out to right to end the inning with the BoSox down 6-4.
Steven Wright, fresh off his 80 game suspension made his season debut in the top of the eighth inning. Jay whiffed but Rondon was plunked. Cordell singled as Yonder Alonso pinch hit for Bummer and banged into a double play to end the inning. Jace Fry came in as the BoSox completed their rally in the bottom of the eighth. Christian Vazquez pinch hit for Hernandez and flied out to right to begin. Evan Marshall came in for Fry and Nunez singled to center. Brock "The Hitman" Holt pinch hit for Leon and smacked a ground rule double. Brian Johnson, yes the pitcher, ran for Holt as Alex Colome was brought in to close out the game. Mr. Mookie hit a grounder to third and Rondon fired home but Nunez beat the tag to score. Devers grounded out but both runners moved into scoring position where they scored on the clutch, 2 out hit by Bogaerts to give the BoSox the lead. Martinez grounded into a force to end the inning but the BoSox rallied to take the lead 7-6.
Vazquez stayed behind the plate, Nunez took over at second and Matt Barnes came on looking for the save. Naturally Garcia singled to left to start. Garcia was thrown out at second trying to steal but Sanchez singled to right. Abreu then crushed a backbreaking 2 run bomb 500,000 feet over the Monster to effectively end the AL East race. Sox manager Alex Cora kicked over a Gatorade jug and took the ineffective Barnes out to a chorus of boos. Josh Taylor came in and struck out both McCann and Jimenez to end the inning but the White Sox were ahead 8-7.
JBJ tried to start a rally with a walk to start the bottom of the ninth but the bottom of the order came up. Chavis flied out to center, Vazquez lined out to second and Nunez grounded out to second to end the game. The White Sox had won it to send the Sox to London out of the AL East race with a 8-7 victory.
Jackass of the Night is Matt Barnes. He served up the 2 run jack to Abreu to lose the game in the top of the ninth.
The Good:
Rafael Devers was 3 for 5 with 3 runs scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored.
JD Martinez was 2 for 5 with 3 total rbis including a 2 run home run.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 2 for 3 with 2 walks.
Michael Chavis was 2 for 5.
Marco Hernandez was 1 for 3.
Sandy Leon was 1 for 3.
Brock Holt doubled as a pinch hitter.
Brian Johnson scored a run as a pinch runner.
Steven Wright pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
Josh Taylor struck out the only two men he faced.
The Bad:
Christian Vazquez was 0 for 2.
Chris Sale allowed 5 runs in 6 innings of work while striking out 10.
Marcus Walden allowed a run in an inning of work.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 5 but drove in a run and scored.
Eduardo Nunez was just 1 for 5 but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
Patience is wearing thin for Red Sox fans for what's turning into a completely frustrating season. Forget Cora sandbagging Spring Training that got the Sox off to their horrid start, they never fixed the problem that was in their face since the end of last year.....the bullpen. That was the concern going into the season and Dombrowski never fixed it. He let Joe Kelly and Craig Kimbrel walk and never replaced them. It may kill them in the end because they've blown SIXTEEN saves this season. We still have the second half of the season to play and at the rate they are going, their inept bullpen may cost them the playoffs entirely. Hangover slumps by Betts, Martinez, etc are to be expected but Dombrowski is in big trouble now. He better fix the bullpen quick or they're dead meat when it matters. The loss dropped the Sox to 44-38, 9 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. After two off-days the Sox travel to London, England to face the Yankees in a neutral site two game set. Masahiro Tanaka goes for the Yankees against "Slick" Rick Porcello (5-7, 4.52 ERA) at 1:10 PM Eastern time in Wembley Stadium.
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