Final, Red Sox 5-4: Shades of 2013.
The Red Sox defeated the White Sox on Wednesday in improbable fashion, rallying from four runs down to earn a 5-4, walk-off victory.
Mookie Betts got hit by a pitch with one out in the ninth inning. He raced around with the tying run when Daniel Nava, pinch-hitting for Christian Vazquez, lined a double into the left-center field gap.
Brock Holt put on the finishing touches on the thrilling win by delivering a game-winning single into right field.
The Red Sox’s offense was held in check for much of the game, but Betts sparked a three-run eighth inning by collecting a rare infield double after realizing no one was covering second base.
All in all, it was an encouraging win for the Red Sox. Even if this season doesn’t turn around completely for Boston, the young players certainly will give everyone a reason to watch.
Mid 9th, White Sox 4-3: Koji Uehara showed why he was named an All-Star on Wednesday.
Uehara struck out the side in dominant fashion. The right-hander was absolutely filthy in cruising through Conor Gillaspie, Dayan Viciedo and Alejandro De Aza — all of whom went down swinging.
Jackie Bradley Jr., Mookie Betts and Christian Vazquez are due up in the ninth inning for Boston.
End 8th, White Sox 4-3: Mookie Betts gave the Red Sox a much-needed shot in the arm in the eighth inning.
Betts beat out what looked to be an infield single. He noticed no one was covering second base, though, and took what amounted to an infield double.
Betts advanced to third and scored as part of some two-out magic. It started with Dustin Pedroia singling off Jake Petricka, who had just entered for starter Chris Sale.
David Ortiz planted a double off the wall to score Pedroia from first base. The threat built when Mike Napoli worked a walk.
Jonny Gomes doubled down the left field line to make it 4-3. The Red Sox had the potential tying run at third base.
Javy Guerra entered and retired Mike Carp, who pinch-hit for Xander Bogaerts, to preserve Chicago’s one-run lead. Boston has life, though, and Koji Uehara will look to get the offense back up as quickly as possible.
Mid 8th, White Sox 4-0: Junichi Tazawa used a double play to get out of the eighth inning.
Jose Abreu led off with a single into right field. Tazawa retired Jonny Gomes on a fly ball to left field before getting Alexei Ramirez to ground back to the mound.
Mookie Betts will lead off for Boston in the bottom of the eighth. The Red Sox need some energy.
End 7th, White Sox 4-0: The Red Sox have just three hits.
Jonny Gomes, Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr. went down without a fight in the seventh inning.
Mid 7th, White Sox 4-0: Jonny Gomes has had a rough night defensively.
Alejandro De Aza singled into right field with one out. Tyler Flowers then lifted a fly ball to the left field wall. Gomes retreated, reached up while planting his back up against the wall, and the ball struck him in the face.
Gomes ultimately recovered to fire a strong relay throw to Xander Bogaerts, who cut down De Aza at the plate, but it marked the second adventurous fly ball for Gomes in this game.
Flowers took third on the throw home and scored when Adam Eaton doubled into the left field corner.
The run was charged to Edward Mujica.
End 6th, White Sox 3-0: Chris Sale kept rolling in the sixth inning. There doesn’t appear to be any life in the Red Sox’s lineup or in Fenway Park at the moment.
Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz and Mike Napoli went down in order.
Mid 6th, White Sox 3-0: Craig Breslow replaced Rubby De La Rosa after five innings from the young right-hander.
Breslow has struggled this season, entering the contest with a 5.23 ERA in 32 appearances. He did his job in the sixth inning, though, shutting down the White Sox in order.
De La Rosa gave up three earned runs on six hits over his five innings of work. He struck out three, didn’t walk anyone and threw 84 pitches (54 strikes).
End 5th, White Sox 3-0: Mookie Betts laced his first major league double off the Green Monster in the fifth inning.
Betts was stranded, however, as Chris Sale rebounded nicely.
Christian Vazquez hit a bullet in his second big league at-bat. Unfortunately for the rookie catcher, it was right at shortstop Alexei Ramirez, who basically had to play a little self-defense.
Mid 5th, White Sox 3-0: Rubby De La Rosa kept Chicago’s offense in check in the fifth inning.
The top three — Adam Eaton, Gordon Beckham and Jose Abreu — went down in order.
Eaton struck out swinging, Beckham lined out and Abreu grounded out.
End 4th, White Sox 3-0: David Ortiz has hit some balls well in this series, but they’re not doing any damage.
Ortiz sent one to the wall in left-center field in the fourth inning. Adam Eaton drifted back onto the warning track to make the catch.
Jonny Gomes got hit by a pitch with two outs, but Xander Bogaerts grounded into a forceout.
Mid 4th, White Sox 3-0: Conor Gillaspie is making life difficult for the Red Sox.
Gillaspie, who hit a go-ahead home run in the sixth inning of Tuesday’s game and a solo blast in the second inning of this game, delivered a double in the fourth inning. He scored Chicago’s third run when Mike Napoli made his second error in two games on Dayan Viciedo’s ground ball to the right side.
Christian Vazquez had a chance to show off his arm in the fourth inning. The 23-year-old fired a laser down to second base to throw out Viciedo, who tried to move up into scoring position on Mookie Betts’ toss to the plate.
Jonny Gomes lost a ball in the lights/twilight that allowed Alejandro De Aza to record a triple. Something similar happened earlier this season and Brock Holt bailed him out. Not even Holt, who is playing shortstop, could prevent this one.
End 3rd, White Sox 2-0: Christian Vazquez flied out to right field in his first major league at-bat. It came on the third pitch.
Brock Holt and Dustin Pedroia couldn’t get anything going, either.
Holt grounded to second base and Pedroia flied out to center.
Mid 3rd, White Sox 2-0: Rubby De La Rosa worked a clean third.
De La Rosa struck out Gordon Beckham looking to begin the inning.
Jose Abreu and Adam Dunn then delivered ground balls to short that Brock Holt handled. This, of course, marks Holt’s first time playing shortstop this season.
End 2nd, White Sox 2-0: Xander Bogaerts and Mookie Betts struck out as part of a scoreless second inning for Chris Sale.
Jonny Gomes’ single into left field was Sale’s only blemish. The lanky lefty has four K’s through the first two innings.
Mid 2nd, White Sox 2-0: Conor Gillaspie hit his second home run in as many nights. But Jackie Bradley Jr. provided the highlight of the second inning.
Tyler Flowers followed Alejandro De Aza’s double with a line drive toward the right-center field gap. Bradley raced over and made an incredible diving catch. JBJ was completely outstretched in what could very well be the catch of the year.
De Aza tagged up and took third base, but Rubby De La Rosa retired Adam Eaton to end the inning.
End 1st, White Sox 1-0: David Ortiz dropped a two-out single in front of right fielder Dayan Viciedo, who was playing very deep. Other than that, Chris Sale was filthy.
Sale struck out Brock Holt and Mike Napoli in the inning. Holt looked at a slider on the insider corner. Napoli swung through a slider.
Dustin Pedroia lined out to second base for the second out.
Mid 1st, White Sox 1-0: Jose Abreu flexed his muscle in the first inning.
Abreu crushed his 28th home run of the season into the center field bleachers with two outs. Rubby De La Rosa turned to the changeup after back-to-back fastballs, and Abreu jumped all over it.
Adam Dunn added a double in the first before De La Rosa exited the inning. He yanked it right past the shift and down the right field line.
7:10 p.m.: Rubby De La Rosa takes the mound. It’s time for baseball at Fenway Park.
6:55 p.m.: The Red Sox’s starting lineup will feature five rookies — Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley Jr., Brock Holt, Mookie Betts and Christian Vazquez — for the first time since 1987.
The complete lineups are below.
Boston Red Sox (39-51)
Brock Holt, SS
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Napoli, 1B
Jonny Gomes, LF
Xander Bogaerts, 3B
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Mookie Betts, RF
Christian Vazquez, C
Rubby De La Rosa, RHP (2-2, 2.51 ERA)
Chicago White Sox (44-47)
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
Chris Sale, LHP (8-1, 2.16 ERA)
6:49 p.m.: The Red Sox made a move Wednesday, designating A.J. Pierzynski for assignment and calling up Christian Vazquez.
6:30 p.m. ET: Rubby De La Rosa is getting tossed right into the fire.
De La Rosa was called up to start Wednesday’s game against the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park. He’ll face one of the best pitchers in baseball in Chris Sale, and he’ll be asked to help turn around the Red Sox’s fortunes. Boston is 1-7 on its current 10-game homestand.
De La Rosa replaced Brandon Workman, who was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket following Tuesday’s 8-3 loss. De La Rosa’s last major league start came June 21, when he allowed one earned run on four hits over seven innings against the Oakland Athletics.
The Red Sox’s offense showed some life Tuesday, but it didn’t last long. Boston also left the bases loaded twice in the loss, once again compounding the club’s season-long woes.
Wednesday’s first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET. Tune in on NESN and follow along with NESN.com’s live blog.
