The Red Sox fell 3-2 to the White Sox on Sunday at Fenway Park, which sealed a three-game sweep for the South Siders.
Boston dropped to 10-19 with the loss, while Chicago improved to 14-13.
You can check out the full box score here.
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
It was the same old story for the Red Sox: one bad inning and several missed opportunities.
That rough frame came in the third, which starter Tanner Houck didn’t make it out of. Reese McGuire kicked things off with a single before Josh Harrison was hit by a pitch. After Danny Mendick moved the runners over, Leury GarcÃa knocked in McGuire with a single to the right side.
Houck was close to limiting the damage to one run when he induced a Luis Robert groundout, but José Abreu cleared the bags with a two-RBI double to left. The two-bagger prompted the hook for Houck.
The Red Sox looked like they were going to punch back an inning later when Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts singled to begin the fourth. But the building momentum quickly was vanished when J.D. Martinez grounded into a double play and Christian Vázquez struck out.
But that disappointment for Red Sox fans paled in comparison to the feelings experienced in the ninth. Martinez reignited the crowd with a lead-off double off the Green Monster, which was followed by a Vázquez pop out, Alex Verdugo strikeout and Kevin Plawecki fly out.
Boston also squandered a runner in scoring position in the first, fifth and sixth innings.
STARS OF THE GAME
— Devers was 3-for-4 on the afternoon. The Red Sox third baseman singled in the first, fourth and sixth innings.
— Bogaerts was the only other Boston player to post a multi-hit game. The star shortstop collected base knocks in the fourth and sixth frames.
— Martinez brought in the Red Sox’s first run of the game when his slow-paced ground ball toward the pitcher’s mound brought in Devers. The veteran slugger also doubled to lead off the ninth inning.
— Save for a little trouble in the sixth, it was a very fine outing for White Sox starter Dallas Kuechel. The veteran southpaw limited Boston to two runs on hit eights over six innings while striking out five.
— Yasmani Grandal was the only White Sox player to register multiple hits. Chicago’s first baseman singled in the second and sixth innings.
— Matt Foster was challenged with working through the meat of the Red Sox order in the eighth, and right-hander responded by striking out Trevor Story, Devers and Bogaerts in order.
WAGER WATCH
Vázquez hadn’t knocked in a run since April 23, so he entered Sunday’s game with a +195 price at DraftKings Sportsbook to collect at least one RBI. The catcher’s single in the sixth inning that plated Bogaerts cashed the bet.
UP NEXT
After a day off Monday, the Red Sox on Tuesday will open a quick, two-game series against the reigning World Series champion Atlanta Braves. First pitch from SunTrust Park is scheduled for 7:20 p.m. ET.
