The White Sox were going to win a game eventually, but the Red Sox surely hoped it wouldn’t happen against them this weekend.
Chicago snapped its franchise-worst 14-game losing streak Friday night, homering three times to beat the Red Sox 7-2. White Sox starter Garrett Crochet led the way, striking out 10 Red Sox batters while allowing two runs over six innings, and Boston collectively struck out 14 times while going 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position.
Friday’s game had a strange vibe from the beginning.
After the White Sox took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a solo home run by Luis Robert Jr., it initially looked like Chicago might trip over itself again, as it has so frequently this season. The Red Sox tied the game after Jarren Duran reached on a three-base error, scoring Bobby Dalbec, but in the course of the play it appeared Duran may have missed the first base bag.
That prompted Crochet to appeal to first, but not only did he botch the throw, but Duran anticipated the play and immediately took off, stealing home plate standing up to put the Red Sox ahead 2-1.
It was the second time this season Duran has been credited with a steal of home, though both times came on plays with some sort of defensive miscue.
Then in the bottom of the fourth there was a four-minute delay when, according to the NESN broadcast, some fans at Guaranteed Rate Park started throwing bottles at White Sox players. That’s the way things have been going on the South Side, but after that things finally started to turn around for the woebegone club.
Chicago scored three runs in the inning to retake the lead, getting four straight baserunners to power the rally. Paul DeJong tied the game with an RBI single, and Duran threw away the throw back to the infield, allowing two runners to advance into scoring position.
That set the stage for Oscar Colas’ two-run single, which put the White Sox ahead for good.
Chicago added a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth, with Gavin Sheets and Andrew Vaughn delivering back-to-back solo home runs, and Crochet shook off his third-inning miscue to spin a gem. He allowed two runs (one earned) over six innings with 10 strikeouts, marking his eighth straight start with two or fewer earned runs allowed over five or more innings. He also allowed just three hits while walking two and hitting a batter.
The White Sox bullpen, which has blown an MLB-worst 15 saves, also kept the Red Sox in check. Boston got two men on with one out in the seventh before Jonathan Cannon struck out Duran and forced Rob Refsnyder to fly out to end the threat, and Boston never seriously threatened again after that.
Chicago tacked on another insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI double by DeJong, and Cannon wound up throwing three scoreless innings for the save.
With the loss Boston falls back to .500 once again at 32-32, while Chicago remains stuck with the worst record in MLB at 16-48. The Red Sox will look to bounce back Saturday when Brayan Bello (6-2, 4.36) takes the mound against Chicago’s Nick Nastrini (0-5, 9.74). First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET.
