Robert slays Green Monster
Slugger hits homer out of Fenway in White Sox’s win over Red Sox
BOSTON — Luis Robert hit a two-run homer over the Green Monster and Vince Velasquez halted a rough road stretch by pitching five solid innings to lead the White Sox past the struggling Boston Red Sox 4-2 on Friday night for their fourth straight victory.
Tim Anderson had three singles, and Reese McGuire and Jose Abreu each contributed a sacrifice fly for the defending AL Central champions (12-13), who moved a step closer to .500 after an eight-game losing streak last month.
Jackie Bradley Jr. had an RBI double for Boston (10-17), which has lost 12 of 16.
After entering 0-7 with a 13.50 ERA in his last seven road starts, the 29-yearold Velasquez (2-2) held Boston’s slumbering offense to three hits and a run.
Bradley threw out AJ Pollock at the plate in the ninth when he tried to score on a fly ball to medium-deep right field.
Liam Hendricks struck out three in the ninth for his eighth save.
Robert’s shot off Nathan Eovaldi (1-1) cleared the seats and left Fenway Park completely in the third inning, giving the White Sox a 3-0 lead after Abreu’s sacrifice fly.
Boston second baseman Trevor Story went 1 for 4 with a run-scoring groundout after striking out in all four plate appearances when the Red Sox were blanked on six hits by the Angels 8-0 on Thursday.
Eovaldi gave up three runs and six hits in five innings, striking out four with three walks.
He had allowed only two runs in his previous two starts, compiling 14 strikeouts.
The White Sox placed OF Andrew Vaughn on the injured list Thursday with a bruised right wrist. INF Danny Mendick was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.
Dylan Cease (3-1, 2.48 ERA) is slated to start Saturday after a stellar outing Monday when he struck out 11 while allowing only one hit in seven shutout innings against the Angels.