Brock Holt's RBI single with one down in the
bottom of the ninth was the winner, as Boston rallied from four runs behind
with six outs remaining to post a 5-4 victory over Chicago in the third
edition of a four-game set from Fenway Park.
Javy Guerra (0-1) plunked Mookie Betts with one down in the final frame, then
pinch-hitter Daniel Nava's double to the gap in left center was enough to
bring Betts around to tie the game at 4-4. Holt followed by bouncing a ball
into right, scoring Nava easily to end the contest.
Koji Uehara (5-2), named an All Star earlier in the day, picked up the
win thanks to a 1-2-3 ninth.
Boston began its comeback down 4-0 in the eighth, chasing Chicago starter
Chris Sale in the process.
Betts led off with a double, moved to third on a groundout, but stayed put
when Holt grounded back to the mound. Jake Petricka spelled Sale, who then
surrendered back-to-back RBI singles from Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz. Mike
Napoli walked, then Jonny Gomes laced a double to left which scored Pedroia,
but Guerra grounded out Mike Carp to end the threat.
Sale had cruised to that point, and ended up charged with a run on four hits
while striking out six in 7 2/3 innings.
Jose Abreu and Conor Gillaspie hit solo homers for the White Sox last night.
Final game of the series is this afternoon with the Pre-Game Show at 2:30 on Newstalk 1060.
Alfredo Simon picked up his National League-leading 12th win as the Reds rolled the Cubs 4-1 in Cincinnati. He struck out eight and allowed a run in six-and-two-thirds frames to improve to 12-and-3. Billy Hamilton and Brandon Phillips each knocked in a run for Cincinnati, which has won five straight. Both left the game with injuries in the eighth inning. Aroldis Chapman locked up his 19th save. Anthony Rizzo was 2-for-3 with a solo homer for Chicago, which has lost six in-a-row. Dallas Beeler gave up all the runs in five innings for the loss.
Final game of the series is this afternoon.
