In a game full of offense, the Boston Red Sox ousted the Chicago White Sox 13-7 on Tuesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Boston racked up 16 hits in the contest, including a season-high six home runs, two of which came off the bat of Deven Marrero. The Red Sox scored in five different innings Tuesday night and chased White Sox ace Jose Quintana after just 2 2/3 innings of work.
And while Quintana struggled, Red Sox starter Chris Sale wasn’t much better. The left-hander labored through five innings, but Boston’s offensive onslaught put him in line for the victory.
The Red Sox improved to 28-23 with the win, while the White Sox fell to 24-27 with the loss.
Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Homers.
The Red Sox entered Tuesday tied for last in Major League Baseball in home runs, but Boston’s power struggles were nowhere to be found against the White Sox. The Red Sox belted six home runs in the contest, including back-to-back jacks from Marrero and Mookie Betts in the second inning.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
Craig Kimbrel entered with two outs in the eighth inning, as the White Sox were threatening with runners on the corners trailing by four. Kimbrel recorded the final out in the frame and Mitch Moreland’s two-run shot in the ninth put the game well out of Chicago’s reach.
ON THE BUMP
— Sale wasn’t very sharp Tuesday night, and his former club jumped all over him early. The left-hander only lasted five innings, giving up six runs (five earned) on 10 hits. Sale did register nine strikeouts, but the outing hands-down was his worst of the 2017 season.
Sale coasted through the first inning and looked in line for a flawless second after recording two quick outs to begin the frame. But what started with a lazy two-out single from Kevan Smith turned into a three-run inning for the White Sox, which was just the beginning of Sale’s shaky night.
Chicago would score another run in the third inning, followed by a two-run blast off the bat of Todd Frazier in the fourth. Sale responded with a perfect fifth frame, but at 111 pitches, manager John Farrell decided his starter’s night was over.
— Heath Hembree pitched two perfect innings in relief of Sale.
— Blaine Boyer struggled in the eighth inning. The right-hander allowed a solo shot to Tim Anderson followed by a Leury Garcia double and Melky Cabrera single. With only two outs in the frame, Farrell called on his closer.
— Kimbrel logged the final out of the eighth inning and earned his 14th save of the season with a scoreless ninth.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Marrero had his best MLB game at the plate Tuesday night, going 2-for-5 with two home runs and five RBI.
— Xander Bogaerts had a stellar night with the bat, going 4-for-5 with a home run.
— Jackie Bradley Jr. belted a three-run blast in the fifth inning and finished the night 2-for-3 with four RBI and two walks.
— Betts (2-for-6) launched his second home run in as many games against the White Sox, a solo shot in the second inning.
— Sam Travis continues to impress at the plate for the Red Sox. The 23-year-old went 3-for-4 with two doubles.
— Moreland entered in the seventh inning for defensive purposes and crushed a two-run blast in his only at-bat.
— Josh Rutledge (1-for-6) smacked a double in the second inning.
— Chris Young went 1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored.
— Hanley Ramirez and Sandy Leon were the lone Boston batters to go hitless in the ballgame.
TWEET OF THE DAY
The irony.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and White Sox will battle in the series finale Wednesday night. Drew Pomeranz is scheduled to get the ball for Boston and will be countered by Chicago’s Mike Pelfrey. First pitch from Guaranteed Rate Field is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET.
Thumbnail photo via Patrick Gorski/USA TODAY Sports Images
