Shields is in complete control as White Sox blank Red Sox
Chicago — Boston's rotation woes continued. And the rebuilding Chicago White Sox took full advantage.
James Shields threw six scoreless innings, Tim Anderson and Daniel Palka homered and the White Sox beat the major league-leading Red Sox 8-0 on Sunday to split their fourgame series.
Anderson had three hits — including two doubles — for the White Sox, who have won seven of their last 10 games.
Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez had two hits apiece for Boston, which had won four of its last five.
The Red Sox have the majors' best record at 94-44 and maintained a 7½-game lead in the AL East over the New York Yankees, who lost to Detroit.
With Chris Sale and David Price out with injuries, the Red Sox have just two quality starts in their last 17 games. Their starting pitchers combined to allow 12 earned runs in 14 innings in the series.
"We're going to be fine," manager Alex Cora said. "When you start getting hurt, especially your main guys, it's not easy to go out there with the guys that we're throwing and keep throwing the ball well.
"They did it for a month and a half right after the All-Star break. Now it's not that way. I feel the healthier we get, the better it's going to be."
Shields (6-15) struck out six and allowed four hits and two walks. He has thrown at least six innings in 21 of his last 25 starts. Three relievers completed the five-hitter.
Five Red Sox pitchers combined to strike out 12 but gave up 15 hits.
"We have the right guys in the bullpen to help us out as far as innings and all that, and I think it's going to turn around because of that," Cora said.
Brian Johnson (4-4) allowed four runs and seven hits while recording four outs in his shortest start of the season.
"I threw a lot of strikes, but they weren't where I wanted them," Johnson said. "Fastball wasn't cutting and my curveball had nothing on it."
Anderson hit his 18th home run this season on the first pitch with one out in the first inning. Kevan Smith's single added another run.
Matt Davidson's two-run double chased Johnson in the second.
The White Sox extended their lead to 5-0 on Adam Engel's single off Bobby Poyner in the third inning.
Palka smacked his 20th home run in the fourth off William Cuevas — four pitches after he hit a long drive just foul and completed a jog around the bases before heading back to the plate. Trainer's room Red Sox: LHPs Sale (mild inflammation in left shoulder) and Price (bruised left wrist) could return to the rotation as early as next weekend, Cora said. For both starters, the Red Sox are looking at their next homestand, which begins Friday with three games against Houston before three games against Toronto and three against the Mets. Sale, who has been on the DL since Aug. 15, could pitch a few innings as an "opener" as he builds up his stamina, Cora said. Sale is 12-4 with an AL-leading 1.97 ERA. "It's going to be during the homestand, but we don't know which series," Cora said.