White Sox surrender 4 runs in 8th inning and fall to Red Sox, 7-4
BOSTON — Chicago White Sox starter Dylan Cease returned from a short stint on the injured list, but he did not factor in the decision in Saturday’s 7-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
Marwin Gonzalez broke a 3-all tie with a solo home run off reliever Codi Heuer to begin the eighth inning and the Red Sox tacked on three more runs in the inning to take the entertaining opener of the four-game series.
Cease went on the injured list for precautionary reasons Wednesday after displaying COVID-19 symptoms. He was reinstated on Friday after a series of negative tests and started Saturday in front of 4,668 at Fenway Park.
Cease allowed two runs on six hits with six strikeouts and three walks in 4 2/3 innings.
The White Sox scored twice in the first. José Abreu drove in Adam Eaton with a double to left and Yoán Moncada scored when Yermín Mercedes grounded out to shortstop.
Moncada just missed a grand slam in the top of the second, flying out to deep center. Eaton made a spectacular catch in the bottom of the inning, crashing into the wall in right field while robbing Rafael Devers of a home run.
The Red Sox scored twice in the third with sacrifice flies by Alex Verdugo and Devers.
Enrique Hernández knocked in Kevin Plawecki with a two-out single in the sixth inning against reliever Evan Marshall to give the Red Sox a 3-2 lead.
The White Sox tied the game in the seventh after Tim Anderson singled, stole second and moved to third when the throw bounced off shortstop Xander Bogaerts’ glove and into center field. Anderson scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Moncada.
Gonzalez gave the Red Sox the lead again one inning later. J.D. Martinez drew a walk with the bases loaded against Jose Ruiz before Bogaerts drove in two with a bloop double to right field.
The series continues with a split doubleheader Sunday. Dallas Keuchel will pitch the first game for the White Sox, while the team’s starter for the second game is to be determined.
