All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 3-1 win over the White Sox, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Red Sox slugger Rafael Devers homered for the first time in 10 games in the 3-1 win over the White Sox from Guaranteed Rate Field on Friday night. Entering the series opener, Devers was only batting .238 while slashing .302/.480/.780 in 311 plate appearances. The slumping Devers launched a mammoth 443-foot two-run homer off White Sox starter Lucas Giolito in the fourth inning giving the Sox a 3-1 lead. It was Devers' 18th homer of the season and in the process, he now has 60 RBI which is tied for the major league lead.
Not only did Devers lead the Sox to victory with his bat, but he also made a diving play to his right robbing Andrew Vaughn and completed a 5-4-3 double play in the bottom of the fourth inning. Devers finished the game 1-for-3 from the plate with the two-run blast and two RBI.
This ball was absolutely SCORCHED 🔥 pic.twitter.com/oNL6KSC9UV
— NESN (@NESN) June 24, 2023
Brayan Bello out-dueled Giolito tossing 6 2/3 innings while giving up only one run. The 24-year-old scattered just six hits during his outing while walking one and striking out five batters. He threw 104 pitches, 65 for strikes while enticing 52 swings and 12 whiffs in the game.
TURNING POINT
Even though Devers was the star of the game with both his bat glove, it was David Hamilton (0-for-2) who got things started by scoring in the third inning. Hamilton displayed his blazing speed after he worked a six-pitch walk. Once he was on first base, the lightning-fast infielder had the green light and stole second base. The White Sox were well aware of what kind of havoc Hamilton can cause on the base paths. Giolito attempted two pickoff attempts, the second one and the ball tipped off Tim Anderson's glove into center field. That was all Hamilton needed to see and he was crossing home plate in a blink of an eye, scoring the Sox' first run of the game.
Hamilton said NYOOM@D_Ham27 | #RedSox pic.twitter.com/zSqbgEs0Rm
— NESN (@NESN) June 24, 2023
UP
Chris Martin and Kenley Jansen continue to provide a one-two punch in the back of the Sox bullpen. Martin tossed a scoreless eighth inning but did give up two hits and Jansen only needed nine pitches in the ninth to slam the door on the White Sox.
DOWN
Sox offense quiet outside of Devers: Boston only mustered four hits and struck out 17 times. Adam Duvall (0-for-4, 4 K) was hitless for the third straight game, and Connor Wong and Christian Arroyo were both 0-for-4 with seven strikeouts between them.
NOTABLE
Masataka Yoshida had two of Boston's four hits in the win, with Kiké Hernández collecting the other Red Sox' hit in the game. Jansen pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his 16th save of the season.
UP NEXT ON SATURDAY
The Red Sox will turn to James Paxton on Saturday afternoon as they look to make it two in a row against the White Sox. Paxton (3-1, 3.29 ERA) will be opposed by right-hander Lance Lynn (4-8, 6.51 ERA). Lynn is coming off an excellent start on Sunday where he took the loss versus the Mariners. He tossed seven innings giving up four hits while striking out 16 batters.