Red Sox Wrap: Boston Loses Pitchers’ Duel To White Sox

The Boston Red Sox came up just short Saturday, taking a narrow 1-0 loss to the Chicago White Sox at a rainy Fenway Park.

The Red Sox fell to 76-79 on the season while the White Sox improved to 59-96.

Check out the full box score here.

ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
It was a late-season game with zero implications at stake in terrible weather. But try telling Red Sox starting pitcher Nick Pivetta there was nothing to play for against the White Sox.

Pivetta was all business on the mound in the elements and continued his terrific in-season turnaround with a dominant performance. He held Chicago scoreless over seven innings, and that was needed with Dylan Cease, who finished second in American League Cy Young voting last season, going toe-to-toe with him.

It was evident that Pivetta hadn’t lost his edge despite the Red Sox being out of playoff contention and sitting in last place in the American League East. He punctuated his outing by striking out Andrew Vaughn and came off the mound in his patented fired-up fashion.

Pivetta could have mailed it in given the situation, but that’s not his style. The 30-year-old takes a tremendous amount of pride in his work, and Saturday’s showing should gain him plenty of respect from Red Sox fans.

STARS OF THE GAME
— Luis Robert Jr. provided the difference-making swing, sneaking a home run down the right-field line off Josh Winckowski in the top of the ninth inning. Robert’s homer only traveled 311 feet.

— Pivetta kept the White Sox at bay by allowing just three hits and one walk. The right-hander recorded seven strikeouts as he threw 59 of his 92 pitches for strikes.

— Cease tossed seven scoreless innings as well, letting up six hits and no walks. He fanned 11 Red Sox batters.

WAGER WATCH
Masataka Yoshida turned in a 3-for-4 showing at the plate. FanDuel Sportsbook set the odds of Yoshida recording at least two hits at +230. A $100 wager on this prop bet would have netted a total of $330.

ON DECK AT NESN
The Red Sox and White Sox close out their three-game series from Fenway Park on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. ET, and you can watch the game, plus an hour of pregame coverage, on NESN.