Red Sox continue slide with 8-3 loss
By Rick McNair
The American League East cellar-dwelling Boston Red Sox faced off against the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park as the Red Sox attempted to put a halt on a slide of 2012 proportions.
Boston entered the game 0-4 against Chicago teams on the current home stand and now have sunk to 0-5 with another embarrassing loss – this one 8-3.
Left-hander John Danks started for Chicago and Boston countered with Brandon Workman.
This was a Texas day connection as Danks was born in Austin, Texas and Workman was drafted out of UT at Austin and born in The Republic of Texas.
In the first inning Boston did what they have done best in 2014.
Brock Holt (2 hits) lined a double to left and David Ortiz and Mike Napoli (3 hits) drew walks to load them up with one out. Jonny Gomes hit into a DP and another zero on the board and potential uprising stifled.
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In the Chicago part of the second defensive damage was done.
With the bases loaded Napoli butchered a Dayan Viciedo ground ball for a run and gave Chicago a 1-0 lead. Alejandro De Aza grounded into a DP for the second Chicago run. Workman then struck out Tyler Flowers and Chicago was done for the second.
In the fourth Workman was rewarded with a quality pitch by having De Aza float it into left for a run scoring flair to drive in Conor Gillaspie (3 hits) from third. Good pitch and a bad result. 3-0 Chicago.
Boston loaded them up in the fourth with two outs.
A Napoli single, David Ross wall ball single and a walk to Stephen Drew set the stage for Mookie Betts. Betts (0-4) grounded out and Red Sox remained scoreless.
In the last of the fifth the Red Sox put on their rally caps.
Holt shot a liner to center that Adam Eaton tried to shoe top catch. End result is a triple for Holt and an RBI for Dustin Pedroia when he followed with a double to left. Napoli banged a double off the scoreboard and Boston had another run. Boston continued the beat.
Gomes lined a single and Xander Bogaerts tied up the game jumping on Danks’ first pitch for a single to left. Danks struck out Ross and Drew and it was all even at 3-3 after five.
The Red Sox gave it right back in the sixth with a two run Gillaspie homer to put Chicago back on top 5-3.
Workman (1-3) was finished after seven innings allowing five runs (three earned) on eight hits while walking two and striking out five.
Danks (8-6) went 5.2 innings allowing three runs on eight hits while walking four and striking out four.
Chicago’s bullpen kept Boston in check and their offense added on three more in the ninth to lock this game up.
Wednesday night Chicago will have another left-hander, Chris Sale (8-1, 2.16), against TBA for Boston. Expect Rubby De La Rosa (2-2, 2.51) to return from exile to attempt to beat a Chicago team.