Chris Sale pitched his best game in a couple of weeks, but it wasn't enough to get himself a win, as the Red Sox were blanked by the Chicago White Sox, one of the worst teams in baseball, 1-0.
Sale allowed a run on six hits while walking one and striking out 10. A leadoff ground rule double by Kevan Smith, followed by a groundout and an RBI single by Trayce Thompson produced the game's only run in the top of the seventh.
The Sox were handcuffed by starter Dylan Covey, who limited them to three hits over six-plus innings. Boston had only three baserunners in scoring position all night and has scored just two runs in the last 18 innings as the lineup shows signs of missing Mookie Betts (out for the last 12 games) and, on Friday, J.D. Martinez, who sat out after experiencing back spasms the night before.
WHO:Red Sox vs. Chicago White Sox
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox have won four of five and 15 of their last 21 and still have the most wins in MLB. The White Sox are in the middle of a road trip which began in Minnesota and saw them split the series with the Twins.
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Chris Sale (5-3, 3.00) vs. RHP Dylan Covey (1-1, 2.82)
TV/RADIO: NESN-MLB TV/WEEI 93.7 FM
LINEUPS
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
9:14 It would appear that Sale is done after eight innings and 109 pitches. He was brilliant, allowing one run on six hits while walking one and fanning 10. His best start in some time, though admittedly, it came against a rather lackluster Chicago lineup.
8:47 There's an example of the double-edge sword that comes with playing the infield in. With a runner on third and one out, Alex Cora logically brought the infield in. But then Trayce Thompson lined a single that a leaping Xander Bogaerts couldn't quite snare; had the infield been back at regular depth, it undoubtedly would have been caught. As it is, the White Sox get the game's first run.
8:27 Rafael Devers is showing signs of coming out of a protracted slump. He did a nice job inside-outing a pitch high off the left field wall for a double. The Sox want Devers to use the entire field, and all three of his last three hits have been either to center or left.
7:40 In the first showdown between Chris Sale and Yoan Moncada -- traded for one another, of course, as part of a huge deal in December of 2016 -- the hands-down winner was Sale, who fanned Moncada on just three pitches. He started him with a 92 mph two-seamer, which Moncada took. Next came a slider, which Moncada fouled off. Finally, Sale overpowered him a 98 mph four-seamer on which the infielder had no chance.
RED SOX
Benintendi LF
Holt RF
Bogaerts SS
Moreland 1B
Nunez 2B
Devers 3B
Bradley CF
Swihart DH
Leon C
WHITE SOX
Anderson SS
Rondon 3B
Abreu 1B
Davidson DH
Smith C
Moncada 2B
Thompson CF
Palka RF
Tilson LF
NEWS AND NOTES:
- The Red Sox today added RHP Justin Haley to the roster Friday, replacing LHP Jalen Beeks, who was optioned back to Pawtucket after his spot start Thursday. Alex Cora said the Sox wanted to have some length in the bullpen, especially after LHP Brian Johnson gave the Red Sox four innings Thursday and would be unavailable for the next few days.
- Mookie Betts was set to take batting practice again in the afternoon, but it's now clear that he won't be activated on this homestand. A best-case scenario would have Betts rejoining the team sometime in Baltimore, after a brief (perhaps one game) rehab assignment to get his timing down at the plate.