Buchholz Gets 1st Win Of Season, Red Sox Beat White Sox 5-2
CHICAGO -- David Ortiz homered and drove in three runs, and Clay Buchholz picked up his first win of the season as the Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago White Sox 5-2 Wednesday night at U.S. Cellular Field.
Ortiz's two-run homer in the fifth inning gave Boston (16-11) a 3-2 lead. He followed up with an RBI single in the seventh, punching a hit to the opposite field with the White Sox in a defensive shift.
Josh Rutledge tacked on an RBI single in the eighth inning to complete the scoring.
Buchholz, who entered Wednesday's start with a 6.51 ERA in six appearances, pitched seven strong innings. Buchholz (1-3) limited the White Sox to three hits and two runs while striking out six and walking three.
Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless ninth inning to pick up his ninth save.
After White Sox starter Carlos Rodon retired the first two hitters in the fifth inning, Xander Bogaerts drew a walk before Ortiz delivered his sixth homer of the year.
Rodon (1-4) surrendered three runs on six hits over six innings. He also walked three and struck out six.
Jose Abreu gave the White Sox a 2-0 lead in the first inning with a two-run homer. Abreu, who has driven in runs in five consecutive games, drilled a Buchholz 1-0 pitch into the left field seats after Jimmy Rollins reached on a single.
Boston got to within 2-1 in the third inning on Bogaerts' two-out RBI single that scored Christian Vazquez. Vazquez and Jackie Bradley Jr. put together back-to-back singles and advanced on a Rodon wild pitch.
The Red Sox threatened in the fourth inning when they loaded the bases with one out. After Chris Young walked and Travis Shaw was hit by a pitch, Rutledge came through with an infield single that would have scored a run if not for a sliding stop by White Sox second baseman Brett Lawrie. Rodon then got Vazquez to ground into a double play that kept Boston from tying the game.
NOTES: Red Sox 1B Hanley Ramirez missed Wednesday's game with flu-like symptoms. ... LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (right patella subluxation) will make his next scheduled start for Triple-A Pawtucket on Sunday. Manager John Farrell said Rodriguez will throw 90-100 pitches and that it's too early to tell if Rodriguez would return to the Red Sox after Sunday's start. ... Farrell said he is more comfortable using right-handed reliever Carson Smith on back-to-back days than having Smith work multiple innings. Smith, who sustained a right flexor strain in spring training, returned from the disabled list on Tuesday and pitched one inning. ... White Sox OF Avisail Garcia (strained hamstring) missed his fourth straight game. Manager Robin Ventura said Garcia tested the hamstring on Wednesday, but he isn't ready to return. "(There's) still something there, so you're a little nervous using him, having him sprint and try to beat something out," Ventura said.