Red Sox recap: Garrett Crochet dominates White Sox over 7 innings, Trevor Story leads offense to victory

In the first must-win game of the young season, the Red Sox needed a big outing from Garrett Crochet on Sunday, and he delivered.

Crochet demonstrated dominance by maintaining a no-hitter into the eighth inning, keeping the White Sox offense on edge throughout the afternoon. The southpaw went 7 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run off one hit with one walk while striking out 11 batters.

“That’s what he’s here for,” Alex Cora told reporters after the game. “It happened early in the season, we had a long losing streak and he pitched a great game and we played better after that. Today was a big day for us to get a W and move on, and he was really good.”

The lefty went five perfect innings before walking Brooks Baldwin to lead off the sixth.

It was his best start of the season, eclipsing the gem he threw against the Orioles in his second start of the season, where he went eight scoreless frames, walking one, allowing one hit, and striking out eight in the outing. He threw 96 pitches during his outing and lowered his ERA to 1.38.

Sunday's game was also Crochet’s longest no-hit bid of his career; his previous best was 4 1/3 hitless frames.

Crochet took his no-hitter into the eighth inning, but Chase Meidroth, in just his third big league game, singled with one out to end the southpaw’s bid.

“I thought that was pretty funny, too,” said Crochet. “I don’t really have anything to say about it. He put a good swing on the ball.”

His last pitch of the outing was an 89.4 mph cutter to Meidroth, that he belted into the gap, allowing Cora to remove Crochet from the game. 

“That’s actually the spot I want to throw the cutter so I’m OK with it,” Crochet said. “Looking back at the swing, I think I did fool him a little bit. He’s a good bat-to-ball guy. Doesn’t swing and miss a ton. I got him with a sweeper in the second at-bat so I didn’t really love the idea of going back to the sweeper. Just playing the sinker game all day with him, I thought the cutter was the pitch to go to. He put a good swing on it, though.”

Crochet said after the game that he was told he was coming out of the game once he gave up a hit. Even knowing that, the left-handed hurler felt he could have gone longer if the Sox needed him. 

“I feel like I could have thrown five more innings,” Crochet said. “I was feeling really good.”

Garrett Whitlock came in to relieve Crochet and quickly gave up back-to-back singles to end the shutout bid as well. The righty was able to strand two runners on and got out of the inning with the Sox leading 2-1.

Crochet is in line to pitch next Friday at home against the White Sox from Fenway Park.

THE TREVOR STORY GAME

Boston hadn’t homered in a game since last Sunday when Alex Bregman hit one in the doubleheader against the Cardinals from Fenway Park.

In the sixth inning with two runs on and two outs, Trevor Story nearly missed hitting his third blast of the season. The wind was gusting out in right and knocked the ball down at the wall, and the White Sox hero from Saturday night, Baldwin, was unable to make a play, allowing two runs to score.

With the Sox clinging to a one-run lead, Story crushed a pitch by Bryse Wilson that hung over the heart of the plate deep over the left field wall, cushioning their lead to 3-1.

Danvers native and rookie pitcher Shane Smith had a three-hit shutout over five frames, throwing 59 pitches. He retired the first two hitters in the bottom of the sixth before Bregman singled down the right field line and Wilyer drew a four-pitch walk, setting up Story’s big hit in the inning.

Story went 3-for-4 with three RBI and a walk and is now hitting .308 through the first 17 games this season.

Overall, the Red Sox offense was silent, with the only offense coming off the bat of Story. They did collect nine hits in the afternoon, with Bregman getting on base twice (2-for-4) and Jarren Duran, Triston Casas, Kristian Campbell, and Ceddanne Rafaela all collecting hits.

Campbell has now reached base in his first 16 games in the big leagues, adding his lone hit up the middle into center field in the ninth inning. George Scott held the Red Sox record of 26 in 1966. Campbell passed Ted Williams (15 in 1939) for sole possession of second base in team history.

AROLDIS CHAPMAN REBOUNDS

Aroldis Chapman lost his first game with the Red Sox on Saturday when the White Sox walked it off in the ninth.

The lefty only needed 18 pitches to finish the game and snap the Sox’ two-game losing streak. He struck out two batters in the inning while also hitting 101.3 mph on the last pitch of the game to veteran outfielder Michael A. Taylor.

RICHARD FITTS TO THE IL, MICHAEL FULMER RECALLED

One day after Richard Fitts left his start at Rate Field with what was described as right shoulder pain, the Red Sox placed the rookie on the 15-day injured list with a right pectoral strain.

Fitts flew back to Boston on Sunday and will undergo an MRI on Monday to reveal the full extent of his injury.

In a corresponding move, Boston recalled veteran right-handed pitcher Michael Fulmer and added him to the 40-man roster.

Fitts felt pain in the sixth inning and was pulled from the game after he threw a wild sweeper and immediately gestured to the Sox dugout that something was wrong.

The Red Sox haven't said what Fulmer's role will be, but he could replace Fitts in the rotation. Boston is on the verge of getting reinforcements back with Brayan Bello making another rehab start on the road against the Rochester Red RedWings this coming week. Lucas Giolito will also travel with the WooSox and make another rehab appearance.

“I’m just happy to be here,” he said. “If it’s in the rotation, in the bullpen, long guy, one-inning guy, it doesn’t matter to me. I’m just happy to be here pitching.”

The Fitts’ injury hasn’t sped up the timeline for Bello, but Cora did acknowledge on Sunday that Bello’s upcoming start this week “most likely will be the last one in his rehab.”

Fulmer, who was a 2017 American League All-Star and the 2016 AL Rookie of the Year, has put together a strong start for the WooSox, where he recorded a 3.09 ERA (4 earned runs in 11 2/3 frames) while striking out 18 batters and allowing seven hits.

“He has been throwing the ball well,” said manager Alex Cora. “He threw the ball well in spring training. Obviously, with the injury, getting another arm here was important. Winc (Josh Winckowski) is down, and usage has been up for some guys. Having another righty is gonna help us.

“Hopefully, we have a big lead, and he can go in there and give us three innings. That’s what he’s here for. Obviously, the changeup comes into play. Today, they’ve got a bunch of righties, of course, with Garrett (Crochet) on the mound. Having him in the bullpen helps.”

He spent all of 2024 rehabbing after undergoing UCL revision surgery on his right elbow in the fall of 2023.

“A very long road,” Fulmer said Sunday to reporters in Chicago. “It’s a lot to handle for not only myself, but my wife and kids. Just happy a lot of hard work hopefully pays off here, getting the shot again.

“It’s been real long. But I’ve been there before. I’ve done it. It’s a little more satisfying knowing that you didn’t have a job guaranteed after a long year of rehab. Just inspires you to put that much more work in with my wife and both my kids, and it’s just, ultimately, the most satisfying that I’ve done in my career so far, just being able to say I did it.”

LIAM HENDRIKS HITS 95 MPH 

Red Sox reliever Liam Hendriks made another rehab appearance for the WooSox, starting on Sunday at Polar Park.

The righty hit 95 mph with his fastball during a scoreless frame against the Columbus Clippers.

The veteran who has been on the IL with elbow inflammation allowed one walk and struck out one batter. He threw nine four-seam fastballs that averaged 94.1 mph while mixing in eight sliders and one curveball, according to Baseball Savant.

Hendriks has been on the IL since the season began and had a cortisone shot in his throwing elbow.