Final, White Sox 8-3: David Ortiz grounded into a double play to end yet another tough loss for the Red Sox.
The Red Sox fell to 1-7 on their current 10-game homestand. Boston’s offense showed life with three runs in the fifth inning, but Chicago answered in the sixth with a two-run homer from Conor Gillaspie.
The Red Sox also fell victim to some sloppy play early in the game, as Mike Napoli made an error with the bases loaded that paved the way for the White Sox to grab a 2-0 lead in the second inning.
The teams will square off two more times before Boston closes out a disappointing first half with three games against the Houston Astros.
Mid 9th, White Sox 8-3: Things only got worse in the ninth inning for Boston.
Burke Badenhop started the inning. He issued a walk to Dayan Viciedo, who was replaced by a pinch-runner in Moises Sierra. Sierra scored when Alejandro De Aza lined a triple over Mookie Betts’ head and into the triangle.
Craig Breslow replaced Badenhop after Tyler Flowers struck out. Breslow’s 2014 struggles continued, as Gordon Beckham and Paul Konerko delivered a pair of doubles to give Chicago an 8-3 lead.
End 8th, White Sox 5-3: The bottom of the Red Sox’s order didn’t cook up anything in the eighth inning.
Ronald Belisario remained in the game and retired David Ross, Stephen Drew and Mookie Betts in order.
Ross struck out looking. Drew and Betts both grounded out.
Burke Badenhop will pitch the ninth inning for Boston with Chicago clinging to a two-run lead.
Mid 8th, White Sox 5-3: Andrew Miller stranded a runner at third base in the eighth inning.
Jose Abreu absolutely sizzled a ball into the left field corner for a leadoff double. Third baseman Xander Bogaerts had no chance to field it, as the ball exploded on him.
Miller struck out Adam Dunn and Conor Gillaspie en route to escaping the inning.
End 7th, White Sox 5-3: David Ortiz has made solid contact in this game but has nothing to show for it.
Ortiz hit another high fly ball to deep center field to lead off the seventh inning. Adam Eaton drifted back to make the catch on the edge of the warning track in front of the triangle.
Mike Napoli singled in the seventh, but that was the only hint of trouble Ronald Belisario ran into.
Mike Carp, who pinch-hit for Jonny Gomes, grounded back over the mound. It was a close play, but Carp was retired at first base. Keep in mind Carp is just coming back from a foot injury.
Xander Bogaerts struck out for the second time to end the inning.
Mid 7th, White Sox 5-3: Brandon Workman has lasted seven innings, even if they haven’t been all that pretty.
Workman overcame a two-out double from Adam Eaton to complete a scoreless seventh. The righty shook hands in the dugout after the inning, so his night likely is over after 106 pitches (70 strikes).
Workman allowed five runs (three earned) on eight hits and two walks. The big hit was Conor Gillaspie’s two-run homer in the sixth after the Red Sox finally had grabbed some momentum the inning prior.
David Ortiz, Mike Napoli and Jonny Gomes are due up for Boston in the bottom of the seventh.
End 6th, White Sox 5-3: The Red Sox couldn’t carry any offensive firepower into the sixth inning.
John Danks began the sixth. He retired Mookie Betts and Brock Holt before calling it a night.
Ronald Belisario took care of Dustin Pedroia on a hot shot back to the mound to end the inning.
Danks gave up three earned runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings. The left-hander struck out four, walked four and threw 102 pitches (64 strikes) while cruising for much of the contest. The fifth inning was his only major hiccup.
Mid 6th, White Sox 5-3: The White Sox answered right back in the sixth inning, stopping the Red Sox’s momentum dead in its tracks.
Jose Abreu dropped a single into right field to lead off the sixth. Abreu has two hits in this game.
Brandon Workman settled down to strike out Adam Dunn and retire Alexei Ramirez on a fly ball to Mookie Betts in center field. He wasn’t out of the woods, though.
Conor Gillaspie hooked a two-run homer right down the right field line to give Chicago a 5-3 lead.
End 5th, 3-3: The Red Sox’s bats woke up in the fifth inning.
Brock Holt, who has been Boston’s biggest catalyst when things have gone right this season, hit a line drive into center field. Adam Eaton allowed it to get by him, enabling Holt to cruise into third base with a leadoff triple.
Dustin Pedroia wasted no time in driving in Holt. He ripped a double into the left field corner to cut Chicago’s lead to 3-1.
Pedroia took third base on David Ortiz’s fly ball to deep center field and scored when Mike Napoli scraped the left field wall with a double.
Jonny Gomes singled into left field, and Xander Bogaerts finally broke through with a runner in scoring position. Bogaerts plated Napoli from third base with a single into left field.
The Red Sox posted three runs before all was said and done. Progress, folks. Progress.
Mid 5th, White Sox 3-0: David Ross is showing off his arm.
Ross threw out another would-be base stealer in the fifth inning. It prevented any trouble that could possibly arise from Adam Eaton’s one-out walk.
Brandon Workman struck out Gordon Beckham to end the inning, giving the right-hander four K’s in the contest.
End 4th, White Sox 3-0: The Red Sox left the bases loaded again in the fourth inning. Boston also left the bases packed in the first inning.
Mike Napoli led off the fourth inning with a single into center field. John Danks rebounded to strike out Jonny Gomes and Xander Bogaerts, but David Ross struck a ball to left field to put runners at the corners with two down.
Stephen Drew, whose offense has been nonexistent so far this season, walked to load the bases for Mookie Betts. The rookie couldn’t chip away at Chicago’s three-run lead, however. He hit a dribbler in front of the plate that catcher Tyler Flowers raced out to field.
Mid 4th, White Sox 3-0: A little flair into left field gave the White Sox their third run.
Conor Gillaspie got things going for Chicago with a line drive to left field. Jonny Gomes raced back onto the warning track and leaped up against the Monster, but the ball plunked off the wall for a double.
Gillaspie took third base when Dayan Viciedo grounded to short for the second out of the inning. Brandon Workman couldn’t navigate through trouble, though, as Alejandro De Aza dropped a blooper just beyond Stephen Drew’s glove for an RBI single.
De Aza got thrown out trying to swipe second base.
End 3rd, White Sox 2-0: Three flyouts were all the Red Sox mustered up in the third inning.
Brock Holt, Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz scattered three fly balls en route to another punchless inning against John Danks.
Make it 12 scoreless innings for the Boston offense to begin this four-game series.
Mid 3rd, White Sox 2-0: Jose Abreu looked to get something going for the White Sox in the third inning with a two-out double.
Brandon Workman had started off the frame with back-to-back ground balls before Abreu’s two-bagger.
Adam Dunn, who homered Monday, grounded to third base to end the inning and any potential threat.
End 2nd, White Sox 2-0: The Red Sox made far less noise in the second inning, as David Ross represented Boston’s only baserunner.
Ross walked with one out after Xander Bogaerts grounded to short.
Stephen Drew and Mookie Betts failed to capitalize on the free pass. John Danks sent them back to the dugout by way of a line drive to left field and a ground ball to short.
Mid 2nd, White Sox 2-0: The White Sox pushed across two unearned runs in the second inning.
Brandon Workman immediately found himself in trouble. Adam Dunn walked, Alexei Ramirez hit a dribbler to short that resulted in an infield single and Conor Gillaspie singled into center field to load the bases with no outs.
Dayan Viciedo, who struck a three-run homer Monday, hit a ground ball to first base. Mike Napoli, who typically is sure-handed, made the play and looked to fire home. He never got a handle on the baseball, though, and everyone reached their intended destinations as Chicago grabbed a 1-0 lead.
Workman, to his credit, minimized the damage. Alejandro De Aza grounded into a double play that plated a run, and Tyler Flowers struck out swinging to end the inning.
End 1st, 0-0: The first inning really was a microcosm of the Red Sox’s season.
Boston left three on base and came away empty handed, as Jonny Gomes grounded into an inning-ending double play with the bases juiced.
Brock Holt led off with a line drive into the left-center field gap. He cruised into second base with a double.
David Ortiz and Mike Napoli worked a pair of walks to pack the bags, but Gomes couldn’t come through against left-hander John Danks. Gomes hit a chopper to third that Conor Gillaspie gobbled up and quickly spun to kick off the big double play.
Mid 1st, 0-0:Â Brandon Workman started his outing on a positive note, retiring the White Sox in order in the first inning.
Adam Eaton struck out, Gordon Beckham flied out and Jose Abreu grounded out.
Workman put away Eaton with a curveball in the dirt.
Let’s see what Boston’s offense has in store for this one.
7:12 p.m.: Brandon Workman takes the hill, and away we go.
6:40 p.m.: Mookie Betts will return to the Red Sox’s lineup Tuesday. The rookie sat out the last two games and three of the last four.
Betts will start in center field. Jonny Gomes and Brock Holt will start in left field and right field, respectively, against left-hander John Danks.
Tuesday’s complete lineups are below.
Chicago White Sox (43-47)
Adam Eaton, CF
Gordon Beckham, 2B
Jose Abreu, 1B
Adam Dunn, DH
Alexei Ramirez, SS
Conor Gillaspie, 3B
Dayan Viciedo, RF
Alejandro De Aza, LF
Tyler Flowers, C
John Danks, LHP (7-6, 4.12 ERA)
Boston Red Sox (39-50)
Brock Holt, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Napoli, 1B
Jonny Gomes, LF
Xander Bogaerts, 3B
David Ross, C
Stephen Drew, SS
Mookie Betts, CF
Brandon Workman, RHP (1-2, 4.17 ERA)
6:30 p.m. ET: The Boston Red Sox’s woes continued in Monday’s series opener against the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park. Lack of offense again was the problem.
Scott Carroll, a relative unknown, shut down Boston’s bats over six-plus innings to hand the Red Sox their fifth loss in six games on the current 10-game homestand. The Red Sox will take their cuts Tuesday against John Danks while countering with Brandon Workman.
Workman endured the worst start of his young career last Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs. The 25-year-old allowed six earned runs on five hits, including two home runs, over four innings. It marked the beginning of a rough night on the mound for the Red Sox, as the Cubs produced 16 runs on 19 hits to complete a three-game sweep.
Tuesday’s first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. Tune in on NESN, and keep it right here with NESN.com’s live blog.
