Sports

Matt Barnes Blows Save In 9th, Red Sox Lose Series Finale Vs. White Sox At Fenway Park

June 26, 2019 / 5:01 PM EDT / CBS Boston

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By Jimmy Golen, AP Sports Writer

BOSTON (AP) — José Abreu hit a two-run homer over the Green Monster and out of Fenway Park in the ninth inning on Wednesday as the Chicago White Sox recovered after blowing the lead in the eighth to beat the Boston Red Sox 8-7.

Chicago had leads of 3-0, 5-2 and 6-4 before the Red Sox scored three in the eighth to take a 7-6 lead and hand White Sox closer Alex Colomé (3-1) his first blown save in 17 opportunities. But Matt Barnes (3-3) gave up three straight hits in the top of the ninth — Leury García was caught stealing — including Abreu's 19th homer of the season.

Abreu had three hits and four RBIs, and García also had three hits for Chicago. James McCann had an RBI single and added a solo home run against Chris Sale as Chicago pounced on the Boston starter for five runs in the first three innings.

Sale, who allowed six of the first seven batters to reach safely, retired the last 10 he faced, striking out the side in the sixth. He avoided the loss when Xander Bogaerts hit a two-run single in a three-run eighth inning to make it 7-6 — Boston's only lead of the game.

Rafael Devers, who went 4-for-4 on Tuesday night, had three more hits and scored three times for Boston. J.D. Martinez hit a two-run homer and also had an RBI double for the Red Sox.

The Red Sox were scheduled to leave for London after the game to play the New York Yankees.

RED SOX RALLY

Leading 6-4 in the eighth, Evan Marshall gave up a one-out single to Eduardo Núñez and a double to pinch-hitter Brock Holt. Colomé got Mookie Betts to hit a hard grounder and third baseman Jóse Rondón came home with it.

Núñez slid in safely head-first. Devers grounded out to the pitcher, but Bogaerts bounced a single up the middle to give Boston a 7-6 lead.

BAD PLAYS

Both teams gave away runs on bad fielding plays.

Ryan Cordell beat out a slow roller to third base in the third inning. Jon Jay, who had been on second, rounded third and scored easily while Red Sox first baseman Michael Chavis was looking at the umpire, delaying the throw home.

Devers scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-3 when pitcher Reynaldo López failed to cover home.

OUCH AT HOME

In all, Sale allowed six hits and a walk, hitting two batters and striking out 10 against his former team. Before his next start he will have gone 12 starts and an entire year without winning a regular-season game in Fenway Park.

OUCH AT HOME II

Home plate umpire Roberto Ortiz needed attention from the Red Sox medical staff in the third inning after taking a foul ball off his right forearm. He had it wrapped but remained in the game.

McCann hit the next pitch into the Green Monster seats to make it 4-2.

WRIGHT BACK

Steven Wright made his season debut after serving an 80-game suspension for violating the policy against performance-enhancing drugs. The knuckleballer pitched the eighth, striking out one and hitting a batter.

TRAINER'S ROOM

White Sox: SS Tim Anderson was in a walking boot a day after spraining his right ankle while fielding a grounder. ... 3B Yóan Moncada was hit by a pitch on the right knee in the first inning and left the game. ... RF Charlie Tilson left the game with flu-like symptoms in the seventh inning.

Red Sox: OF Andrew Benintendi was given the second straight day off to rest, but he was available off the bench. Manager Alex Cora said his "legs felt heavy."

UP NEXT

White Sox: Open a nine-game homestand on Friday night. Martin Pérez (7-3) pitches the opener against the Minnesota Twins.

Red Sox: Travel to London for two-game series against the Yankees, Saturday and Sunday. Rick Porcello (5-7) will face Masahiro Tanaka (5-5) in the first game.

MLB
Chris Sale