The Boston Red Sox used a late-inning effort to claim a 6-4 win in extra innings against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on Sunday.
Boston improved to 33-33 after the series split. Chicago fell to 17-49.
Check out the box score here.
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
The Red Sox badly needed to salvage a series split against the White Sox, especially since their next six games are against the National League East-leading Philadelphia Phillies and American League East-leading New York Yankees.
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And while it was not always pretty -- their three-error fourth inning was tough to watch -- the Red Sox did enough in clutch time.
Boston faced a 4-3 deficit entering the ninth inning before David Hamilton led off the frame with a double. The shortstop then stole third base and scored on a one-out sacrifice fly by Reese McGuire.
The Red Sox followed it up with a pair of runs in the 10th. Jarren Duran reached first after relief pitcher Michael Soroka couldn't hang onto a throw from first baseman Andrew Vaughn. Duran stole second base to give Boston second and third with nobody out, Jamie Westbrook recorded an RBI on a sacrifice fly, and Rob Refsnyder stroked an RBI single to give Boston a two-run lead.
Kenley Jansen entered the game in the eighth inning and struck out five batters in two frames.
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STARS OF THE GAME
-- David Hamilton (2-for-5, two runs, RBI) made up for his error with a fifth-inning home run. Hamilton then kept Boston alive with his hit and ninth-inning run.
-- Duran (1-for-4, three runs, walk) was largely impactful for the offense. He led off the fourth inning with a triple -- his 10th three-bagger of the season -- and came around to score on a Refsnyder ground ball. Duran scored a pivotal run in the 10th inning, as well.
-- Paul DeJong (2-for-5, three RBIs, run), who entered the contest with four home runs in the previous eight games, added another round-tripper in the fourth inning. It helped Chicago take a 3-1 lead after a three-error inning for Boston.
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ON DECK AT NESN
The Red Sox benefit from an off day Monday before they open up a six-game homestand. Boston opens a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night. First pitch from Fenway Park is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET, and you can watch it live on NESN after an hour of pregame coverage.
Featured image via David Banks/USA TODAY Sports Images