White Sox 3, Red Sox 1: There’s nothing wrong with a last-minute comeback

10th-inning runs keep Chicago’s winning streak alive

After a 4-2 win yesterday, the Chicago White Sox lined up again at Fenway Park for the second game of the weekend series against the Boston Red Sox. With windy conditions and sun in their eyes, the South Siders battled their way to add a fifth win to their streak, taking the game 3-1 — but not without a rather frustrating fight.

The first four innings saw both teams threaten with base hits, including Chicago’s Tim Anderson, Leury García, and Jake Burger, but no runs were scored. The South Siders faced the Red Sox’s struggling starting pitcher Nick Pivetta in the first six innings, and despite his disappointing season so far, the 29-year-old managed to keep the White Sox offense at bay.

Coming off the best start of his career against the Los Angeles Angels, Dylan Cease started on the mound for Chicago. The 26-year-old kept the Red Sox away from the scoreboard for the first four innings, but trouble struck in the fifth. Boston’s Franchy Cordero got himself onto first base, and he advanced to second on a walk to Trevor Story. With two on, Rafael Devers hit a double, sending Cordero home to score a run for the Red Sox.

Cease left the game having secured eight strikeouts in five innings, allowing one run, four hits, and three walks.

Bennett Sousa took over for Cease in the sixth inning, José Ruiz came onto the mound for the seventh, and Reynaldo López entered for the eighth. Plenty of strike outs and a few hits allowed, but no further runs were let in.

There were a few mildly exciting moments for the White Sox offense, despite the lack of runs in the first eight innings. In the seventh, Garcia hit the ball into right field against Boston’s Ryan Brasier, getting himself on first base. On a pitch to Anderson, García hustled his away onto a stolen second base and went for third before tripping and returning to second. It ultimately came to nothing when Anderson became Chicago’s third out of the inning. In the eighth, Luis Robert got on first base before Grandal smashed a hit over to right field against John Schreiber, putting himself on first and moving Robert onto second. Again, it ultimately came to nothing.

But it’s okay — you know your girl loves a late-game comeback.

Hansel Robles entered as Boston’s closer in the ninth and gave Jake Burger Chicago’s first walk of the game. With a hit to left field, Adam Engel secured a double and moved Burger onto third. Then it was Leury García’s time to shine — a hit straight over to right field brought Burger home, tying the game at 1-1.

As López stayed on the mound for the ninth inning, the White Sox defense turned up to try and push the game into extras. They managed it, but it got scary. Boston’s Jackie Bradley Jr. landed on first and Christian Vázquez got a double with a hit into left-center, putting the Red Sox on second and third with only one out. López then came through with a strike out on Bobby Dalbec before Trevor Story was caught on a pop fly to send the game to extras.

In accordance with the continuing 10th inning rules, AJ Pollock was placed on second base for the White Sox to start the inning. Matt Barnes came in to pitch for Boston, and José Abreu promptly hammered the ball into right-center, pushing Pollock all the way home for a 2-1 lead to Chicago. Next, Robert came up to the plate with Abreu on second and smashed the ball up the middle to center field, sending Abreu home to get a third run for the South Side.

Boston was then up to bat and Liam Hendriks came onto the mound to close for Chicago— and close he did. Some beautiful defense across the diamond along with a strike out from our favorite Australian and the White Sox took the second game of the series in a 3-1 win.

This win puts the Chicago White Sox at 13-13, second behind the Minnesota Twins (17-11) in the AL Central division.

The third and final game of the series at Fenway Park is tomorrow at 10:35 a.m. CT (11:35 a.m. ET) with Dallas Keuchel (1-3, 8.40 ERA) sharing the mound with Boston’s Michael Wacha (3-0, 1.38 ERA) to start.