CHICAGO -- All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 6-1 win over the White Sox, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
ERod is excellent: Making his first start in the big leagues since July 15, Eduardo Rodriguez pitched as though he had pitched just five days earlier. He was dominant from the outset, striking out the side in the first on just 16 pitches, then mowing down the first dozen White Sox, 10 of them on strikeouts. He then used a double play to erase a leadoff walk in the fifth before getting into a spot of trouble and hitting 90 pitches with two outs in the sixth. But the overall impression was a strong one, and most welcome. Alex Cora praised Rodriguez for having his best stuff of the season, while also noting his precise command, good pitch mix and quick tempo. But Cora didn't seem as surprised with the outing as you might have expected to be. "There was a quiet confidence about him for the last month,'' said Cora. "It felt like he knew the rest was going to happen and that he was going to be this guy.'' Rodriguez relied a lot on his fastball -- both the two-seam and four-seam variety -- because it had so much life that he didn't need to rely much on anything else in his repertoire. "I would say the fastball was working really good today,'' Rodriguez said. "I used it most of the time. I feel like the hitters are going to tell you what pitch you're going to throw. It was the fastball today and I used it a lot.''
https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1036062118641057792
Bottom of the order contributes: The Red Sox lineup can be a little top heavy at times, with a lot of production coming from the first five hitters. But in Saturday's win, most of the damage came from the lower half. The Sox got three homers -- all of them solo shots -- from Eduardo Nunez (hitting sixth), Ian Kinsler (hitting seventh) and Jackie Bradley (hitting ninth). Bradley also chipped in with a triple. "It seems that, little by little, the lineup is getting to where we want it,'' said Cora. Nunez has been a revelation of late, with three homers in the last five games. "He's very similar to the guy I saw on video last year,'' said Cora. "He's direct to the ball. I think earlier in the season, he was getting caught up (in trying) to hit the ball in the air. Not everybody can do that. But he's attacking pitches in the strike zone and the quality of the at-bats are much better.''
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Sale sails through bullpen session: In a somewhat surprising development, Chris Sale tossed a bullpen session Saturday afternoon, capping a week that saw him throw every one of the previous five days. Sale threw between 15 to 20 pitches in the pen, and on his way out of the clubhouse, said he felt "really good ... rolling.'' Pitching coach Dana LeVangie was equally upbeat. "Good ... normal ... Chris Sale-like,'' said a smiling LeVangie. "It was like he was pitching in a game, almost. He probably wants to pitch tomorrow. He knows where we're at. He knows it's September. He wants to compete and help us win something. It was a lot of fun to watch.'' Next up for Sale: the Sox will check to see how he responds on Sunday, then plot a resumption of his throwing program, with some long-toss, followed by another bullpen session.
TURNING POINT
In the sixth inning, the Red Sox were clinging to a 2-1 lead with one run in and the potential tying run on second base. With Rodriguez as 90 pitches in his first start off the DL, the Sox went to the bullpen for Ryan Brasier, who came in and quickly got Avisail Garcia swinging to strand the baserunner in scoring position and end the threat.
TWO UP
Matt Barnes: After a series of shaky outings at home, Barnes was the picture of efficiency and dominance, striking out two of the three hitters he faced in the eighth inning.
Christian Vazquez: True, he didn't have a hit -- he managed a walk in four plate appearances -- but he handled Rodriguez well and kept him working quickly and efficiently.
ONE DOWN
Andrew Benintendi: A night after chipping in with a homer, Benintendi was an uncharacteristic 0-for-5 at the plate.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"For wherever we're going right now and we know we're searching for outs and starters, that was great for us.''
— Cora on Rodriguez's first start in a month and a half.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The Red Sox have won four of their last five.
- In games in which they have at least one home run, the Red Sox are 75-18.
- The homer by Nunez was his first off a lefty this season.
- Boston has won 10 of its last 15 games at Guaranteed Rate Field.