For the second time in the last five games, the Red Sox allowed what seemed like a certain victory to slip through their hands.
Matt Barnes lost a ninth-inning, 10-pitch at-bat to Jose Abreu, who belted a two-run homer over everything in left, giving the White Sox a come-from-behind 8-7 victory over the Red Sox.
It was the 16th blown save of the year for the Sox and sixth for Barnes. It was also the fourth loss for the Sox in a game in which they led after the eighth inning and the second game they lost in the ninth inning on this homestand.
The Sox had rallied with three runs in the bottom of the eighth to grab a 7-6 lead, their first lead of the day, on a two-run single by Xander Bogaerts. Earlier in the inning, Eduardo Nunez scored from third on a fielder's choice.
J.D. Martinez doubled home a run in the seventh and launched a two-run homer in the first.
Chris Sale was tagged for three runs in the first and two more in the third, lasting only five innings, getting a no-decision. He's without a win at home this year in eight Fenway starts.
WHO: Red Sox vs. Chicago White Sox
WHEN: 1:05 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
SERIES TO DATE: Boston 2-0
SEASON SERIES TO DATE: Boston 5-1
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Chris Sale (3-7, 3.59) vs. RHP Reynaldo Lopez (4-7, 6.23)
TV/RADIO: NESN/WEEI 93.7 FM
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
4:20 Once this inning's finished, it's going to get interesting. Marco Hernandez is out of the game and so is Brock Holt, who left for pinch-runner.....Brian Johnson. Sox need someone to play second -- Mookie shifted from the outfield? Nunez moved from DH and lose the DH?
3:33 Sox get one back in the bottom of the seventh as Martinez doubles home Devers (single). But after Bradley singles and sends Martinez to third, giving the Sox two in scoring position, Chavis lines out to RF.
2:57 Since allowing the leadoff homer to McCann to start the third, Sale has settled in nicely, allowing just one hit to the last 14 hitters he's faced and has struck out six of the last nine hitters. But, of course, the damage has been done.
2:32 Completely inconsistent outing for Sale -- innings two and four: six up, six down, 21 pitches. Innings one and three: 15 batters to the plate, five runs allowed, 55 pitches thrown.
2:22 Now it's the White Sox' chance to be asleep. On a wild pitch, Lopez doesn't move off the mound and there's no one for McCann to throw the ball to as Devers scores from third.
2:09 Six straight hits for Devers, four of them doubles.
2:02 White Sox catch the Red Sox asleep. Ryan Cordell reaches on a chopper to third. Chavis had to stretch for the throw and as he stood flatfooted, Jon Jay scores all the way from second. Bad look.
1:57 Didn't look like a bad pitch, but on a 1-and-2 slider, down-and-in, James McCann golfs it out to left and the White Sox are back up 4-2.
1:36 J.D. Martinez, who had gone 42 at-bats without a homer, just reaches the first row of the Monster Seats.
1:30 Yoan Moncada, who was struck on the knee by a pitch from Sale in the top of the first, left the game with a right knee contusion. He's day-to-day.
1:28 Single to center for Rafael Devers, his fifth straight hit dating back to Tuesday night.
1:14 Rough start for Chris Sale as he's given up four hits and hit a batter to the first Red Sox hitters. Not unlike the last start, in which Sale gave up two runs and needed 36 pitches to get through the first against Toronto.
LINEUPS:
RED SOX
Betts RF
Devers 3B
Bogaerts SS
Martinez DH
Bradley CF
Chavis 1B
Hernandez 2B
Nunez DH
Leon C
WHITE SOX
Garcia SS
Moncada 3B
Abreu 1B
McCann C
Jimenez LF
Jay DH
Rondon 2B
Cordell CF
Tilson RF
WHAT'S UP:
The Red Sox have won two straight and 10 of their last 13...The Sox sit at seven games over .500, tying their season high for the year...In Tuesday's 6-3 win, the Sox struck out 15 batters and walked just one....The pitching staff leads the majors in strikeouts with 823 and ranks second in strikeouts per nine innings at 10.06....The Sox have fanned 10 or more opposing hitters in 47 of their 81 games, including six of their last seven...Boston's relievers lead the majors in strikeouts per nine innings at 10.75....Rafael Devers had three doubles Tuesday night, making him the youngest Red Sox player to do so since Dwight Evans in 1973...In his last 13 games, Devers is batting .423 with a 1.175 OPS...Since the beginning of May, Devers leads the A.L. in RBI with 41 while his hits (67) and extra-base hits (28) are third....Christian Vazquez has an 11-game hitting streak, the longest of his career...Mookie Betts has reached base in 16 straight games, during which he's posted a .400 on-base percentage...The Sox have doubled in all 24 games this month, the longest such streak in the major leagues....The Sox are 20-19 at home, and have won five-of-seven....The Red Sox leads the majors with 20 outfield assists, including one by Jackie Bradley Jr. on Tuesday night...The Red Sox lost Chris Sale's first six starts this season. Since then, Sale has a 2.34 ERA while limiting opponents to a .178 batting average...The Sox are 12-1 on their last 13 getaway games and are 17-8 in their last 25 series finales, including 15-4 in their last 19....In his last 11 starts, Chris Sale has a 2.36 ERA...He's struck out 10 or more hitters in eight of his last 11 starts...James McCann is 5-for-32 (.156) with 10 strikeouts in his career against Sale...Jose Abreu is 1-for-7....J.D. Martinez is 3-for-6 against Reynaldo Lopez and Rafael Devers is 3-for-5....
PRE-GAME NOTES:
- The Red Sox will have Sam Travis as their 26th man on the trip to London. Both teams can add an extra player to the roster for the series, though it has to be a position player.
- The Sox will also take RHP Hector Velazquez and C Oscar Hernandez as part of their two-man "taxi squad'' of extra players.
- Andrew Benintendi out of the lineup for the second straight day. Alex Cora said Benintendi's legs "felt heavy'' and they're using the opportunity to get him a couple of days off.
- The Sox are staying off from INF Brock Holt for the third straight game as he nurses a hamstring strain. The expectation is that, with two more days of rest in London, he'll be ready again Saturday.