The bad news was without Willson Contreras the Red Sox offense reverted to April/May form scoring just 2 measly runs off 4 hits leaving 5 men on base. The good news was the returning Patrick Sandoval and the Boston bullpen held the Chicago White Sox to one lone run. Caleb Durbin hit a 2 run shot off Chicago starter Anthony Kay and Sandoval was superb through four innings. The White Sox rallied for a run off Sandoval but Tyron Guerrero (1-1, 2.45 ERA) snuffed it out in the fifth. Four relief pitchers shut the door with Aroldis Chapman locking it down in the ninth inning. The Red Sox swept the White Sox out of Chicago with a 2-1 win at Comiskey Park.
Kay got the ball in the top of the first inning and Anthony Seigler struck out swinging to start. Ceddanne Rafaela grounded out to short but Wilyer Abreu got a base hit to center. Romy Gonzalez took strike three to end the inning. Sandoval made his Sox debut in the bottom of the first and Chase Meidroth popped up to short to start. Randal Grichuk popped up to first and Miguel Vargas took strike three to end the inning.
Caleb Durbin lined out to right to start the top of the second and Andruw Monasterio took strike three. Nate Eaton struck out swinging to end the inning. Colson Montgomery singled to right to start the bottom of the second but Junior Perez struck out swining. Sam Antonacci struck out swinging but Braden Montgomery singled to center. Luisangel Acuna grounded out to third to end the inning.
Brett Harris made his Sox debut by getting hit with a pitch to start the top of the third. Connor Wong beat out a roller to first and Seigler dropped down a bunt to advance the runners. Unfortunately Rafaela grounded out to short and Abreu lined out to left to end the inning. Drew Romo popped up to second to start the bottom of the third but Meidroth got a base hit to left. Grichuk struck out swinging and Vargas flied out to center to end the inning.
The BoSox struck first in the top of the fourth as Gonzalez walked to start. Durbin then launched his 9th home run of the season to put Boston ahead. Monasterio grounded out to short but Eaton walked. Harris grounded into a double play to end the inning with the BoSox ahead 2-0.
Colson Montgomery got a base hit to right to start the bottom of the fourth but Perez went down hacking. Antonacci flied out to center and Braden Montgomery flied out to right to end the inning.
Wong grounded out to short to start the top of the fifth and Seigler popped up to short. Rafaela grounded out to second to end the inning. Acuna got a base hit to center to start the bottom of the fifth but Romo popped up the bunt to first. A wild pitch moved Acuna to second and he stole third. Meidroth walked and that was it for Sandoval after just 65 pitches. Ge would be charged with a run in 4 1/3 innings off 5 hits and a walk. Tyron Guerrero came in amd Andrew Benintendi pinch hit for Grichuk. Benintendi beat out a swinging bunt to score Acuna but Vargas flied out to center. Colson Montgomery popped up to third to end the inning with the ChiSox down 2-1.
Abreu grounded out to third to start the top of the sixth but Gonzalez got a base hit to center. That was it for Kay as Jordan Hicks came in to pitch to Durbin. Caleb lined out to left and Monasterio did the same to end the inning. Tristan Peters pinch hit for Perez to start the bottom of the sixth and naturally got a base hit to right. Antonacci flied out to center and Braden Montgomery forced Peters at second. Jacob Gonzalez pinch hit for Acuna and struck out swinging to end the inning.
Jarren Duran pinch hit for Eaton to start the top of the seventh and naturally struck out swinging. Harris grounded out to second and Wong struck out swinging to end the inning. Garrett "The Lock" Whitlock came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Kyle Teel pinch hit for Romo. Teel took strike three and Meidroth did the same. Benintendi flied out to right to end the inning.
Grant Taylor came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Seigler walked to start. Rafaela forced Seigler at second and Abreu lined out to right. Gonzalez forced Rafaela at second to end the inning. Justin "Incinerator" Slaten came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Duran made a great sliding catch to rob Vargas of a double. Colson Montgomery grounded out to second and Peters took strike three to end the inning.
Tyler Davis came in to pitch the top of the ninth ans Durbin popped up to short to start. Monasterio flied out to left but Duran walked. Duran was thrown out at second trying to steal to end the inning. Aroldis Chapman came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Antonacci grounded out to second to start. Rafaela made a great diving catch to rob Braden Montgomery of a double and Gonzalez flied out to left to end the game. The BoSox had won it 2-1.
Hero of The Night is Caleb Durbin. His 2 run home run was the difference in the game.
The Good:
Romy Gonzalez was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored.
Nate Eaton walked in 2 plate appearances.
Jarren Duran walked in 2 plate appearances.
Connor Wong was 1 for 3.
Patrick Sandoval allowed just 1 run in 4 1/3 innings off 5 hits and a walk.
Garrett Whitlock pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Justin Slaten pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Ceddanne Rafaela was 0 for 4.
Andruw Monasterio was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Anthony Seigler was 0 for 2 with a strikeout but walked.
Wilyer Abreu was just 1 for 4.
Brett Harris was 0 for 2 but was hit with a pitch.
Tyron Guerrero allowed an inherited runner to score but none of his own in 1 2/3 innings.
Final Thoughts:
The offense was stagnant but the pitching held the fort. The Sox are going to struggle the next four games with Contreras out but for now, things worked out in their favor. Sandoval was handled with kid gloves but still was only charged with one run. The three headed monster of Slaten, Whitlock and Chapman harken back to the days of Jeff Nelson, Mike Stanton and Ramiro Mendoza of the old New York Yankees. If the Sox can get to those three with the lead, the game is as good as over. Hopefully next time Sandoval can last longer. They're going to need him with 3/5 of the opening day rotation out. Hopefully the offense will be a bit better in the final three games before the break. The New York Yankees beat the the Tampa Bay Rays and the Toronto Blue Jays were off, so the Sox are technically tied with Toronto for third place. Its a small victory, but better than the alternative. The win improved the Sox to 43-48, 11 games behind the Rays for first place in the AL East. The Sox now travel to New York for a three game set against the struggling Mets. Sonny Gray (10-1, 2.61 ERA) takes on Nolan McLean of the Mets. The game begins at 7:15 at Citi Field.
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