The Boston Red Sox blew a 7-2 third inning lead on Saturday night and would fall behind, before rallying to take a 9-8 win in 10 innings over the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago.
Leury Garcia started the scoring for Chicago taking Conner Seabold deep for a two-run homerun in the second inning. It was the first career start for Seabold, who went 3.0 innings. Boston (81-63) exploded for a big seven run third inning. With one out, Kike Hernandez singled and then both Kyle Schwarber and Xander Bogaerts walked to load the bases. A third straight free pass to Rafael Devers forced in Hernandez from third base. After Hunter Renfroe popped out in foul territory for the second out, Alex Verdugo hit a two-run single to left field, Bobby Dalbec singled in another, and Travis Shaw hit a three-run homer to right to make it 7-2 Red Sox. The White Sox (81-61) rallied to tie it in the fourth on a bases loaded walk to Brian Goodwin, a three-run double by Luis Robert, and an RBI double from Yoan Moncada. Yasmani Grandal put the hosts back ahead 8-7 with a solo homerun to right field in the fifth. Hernandez tied it at 8-8 with a sacrifice fly RBI to score pinch runner Jack Lopez in the eighth. The guests went ahead for good when Shaw drove in Verdugo with a one out single in the 10th. Chicago threatened after Grandal singled to lead off the bottom half to put runners on first and third with noone out. Josh Taylor though would pick up his first career save when he struck out Garcia and Danny Mendrick, and got Goodwin on a good play in the hole by Hernandez at second and a low throw that was scooped out by Dalbec at first to end the game.
Seabold allowed two runs on three hits and walked two in his no-decision after a call-up from Triple A Worcester. Garrett Whitlock (8-3) got the win in relief, with Taylor getting the save. Hernandez, Shaw, and Christian Vazquez had two hits each. Shaw drove in four runs. Dylan Cease started for Chicago and allowed seven runs on four hits in 2.2 innings. Craig Kimbrel was charged with a blown save, and Mike Wright Jr. (0-1) was tagged with the loss. Robert had four hits and three RBI and Grandal had three hits. The rubber game of the three game series is set for 2:10 p.m. on Sunday with RHP Nick Pivetta (9-7, 4.67 ERA) taking the mound for the Red Sox. The White Sox will start RHP Lance Lynn (10-4, 2.59).
