Duran, Valdez homer as Red Sox hand White Sox 14th straight loss, 14-2
By ANDREW SELIGMAN AP Sports Writer
CHICAGO - Jarren Duran and Enmanuel Valdez homered, Tanner Houck pitched seven solid innings and the Boston Red Sox handed the White Sox their franchise-record 14th straight loss, beating Chicago 14-2 on Thursday night.
The White Sox surpassed a mark set by the 1924 team while extending baseball's longest slide this season. They are a major league-worst 15-48.
Duran and Ceddanne Rafaela each had four of Boston's season-high 24 hits. Duran got the rout started with his third career leadoff homer.
Valdez added a three-run drive against White Sox starter Jake Woodford (0-2) in the fourth and Boston scored four in the inning to go up 7-0. Pinch hitter Jamie Westbrook hit his first major league homer in the seventh, and the Red Sox rolled to another easy win after beating Atlanta 9-0 on Wednesday.
Houck (6-5) gave up two runs and three hits, and struck out nine without a walk. The right-hander did not allow a hit until the sixth, when Lenyn Sosa led off with a single and scored on Zach DeLoach's double. He also gave up a solo homer to Andrew Vaughn in the seventh.
Woodford got tagged for seven runs and 10 hits - matching a career high and setting one - in four innings.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Red Sox: DH/OF Masataka Yoshida (strained left thumb), on the IL since late April, remains on course to begin a rehab assignment this weekend, manager Alex Cora said. ... The Red Sox reinstated RHP Isaiah Campbell (right shoulder impingement) from the 15-Day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Worcester.
White Sox: RHP Mike Clevinger (right elbow inflammation) will likely need multiple rehab outings before he returns to the rotation, manager Pedro Grifol said. ... Grifol said OF Eloy Jiménez (strained left hamstring) could begin a rehab assignment mid to late next week. Jiménez was hurt scoring from second in Chicago's 5-0 win at Toronto on May 21. ... 3B Yoán Moncada's recovery from a strained left adductor has been slowed, though he hasn't suffered a setback, Grifol said. Moncada, who has not played since April 9, is projected to return sometime after the All-Star break.
UP NEXT
The White Sox send LHP Garrett Crochet (5-5, 3.49 ERA) to the mound, while the Red Sox go with RHP Cooper Criswell (3-2, 3.92). Crochet is 4-1 with a 1.03 ERA in his past six starts. Criswell went five innings in a win over Detroit on Saturday.
