New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Garcia HR in 9th lifts White Sox to win over Red Sox
CHICAGO — Leury Garcia hit a game-ending home run with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the Chicago White Sox over the Boston Red Sox 2-1 Sunday.
After Boston reliever Garrett Whitlock (8-4) struck out Eloy Jimenez and Yasmani Grandal to begin the inning, Garcia fell behind 0-2 before hitting a 98 mph fastball over the center-field fence. It was the fifth homer of the season for Garcia, who is filling in at shortstop with starter Tim Anderson on the injured list.
“I knew I hit it good, but it was center field,“Garcia said. “I said, ‘You better go!’
“It was one of the best moments for me.”
Chicago took a 1-0 lead and a three-hit shutout into the ninth before Craig Kimbrel (4-4) struggled with his control and blew the save.
Kike Hernandez led off with a double to center. After Kyle Schwarber struck out, Kimbrel walked Hunter Renfroe and Rafael Devers to load the bases. Alex Verdugo followed with a tying sacrifice fly to left.
The teams combined for just eight hits, and the game developed into a pitcher’s duel despite the fact both starters were making their first appearances since August.
Chicago’s Lance Lynn allowed two hits over five scoreless innings in his return from a stint on the 10-day IL with right knee inflammation. The veteran right-hander walked none, struck out nine and lowered his ERA to 2.50 in his first outing since Aug. 28.
“When I went on the IL, we were trying to stay on top of it and I think we’re in a good spot right now,” Lynn said of his knee. “It’s not going to go away.”
Boston’s Nick Pivetta allowed one unearned on three hits in 51⁄3 innings after being activated from the COVID-19 IL. Pivetta entered having allowed 12 runs in 102⁄3 innings over his previous three starts.
Pivetta, who started Sunday after Chris Sale went on the COVID-19 list at the start of the series, said he was asymptomatic but struggled to keep prepared during his absence.
“The first time I got on a mound was yesterday,” Pivetta said. “While I was out, I got into my car and went to a field where no one was around and threw into a fence. That was about it.”
The White Sox broke through against Pivetta in the sixth inning with an unearned run. Cesar Hernandez led off and reached on a throwing error by second baseman Kike Hernandez. Cesar Hernandez was sacrificed to second and scored on a single by Luis Robert to make it 1-0. UP NEXT
Red Sox: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (11-8, 5.15 ERA) starts the opener of a threegame series at Seattle on Monday night.