Burger's homer off Hill lifts White Sox over Red Sox
CHICAGO (AP) — Jake Burger hit a three-run homer off Rich Hill, Lucas Giolito overcame a shaky first inning and the Chicago White Sox beat the Red Sox 3-1 Wednesday night to end Boston’s six-game winning streak.
The White Sox won for the fourth time in six games and moved over .500 to 22-21.
Burger, recalled Tuesday from Triple-A Charlotte after Luis Robert was placed on the COVID-19 injured list, hit an 0-2 breaking pitch in the fifth inning that traveled an estimated 444 feet.
“It was definitely reactionary,” Burger said. “Rich was throwing well all night. The pitch before that was very similar, and I swung over it. Fortunately, he came back with it, and I got one over the plate that was a little higher than the one previous.”
Giolito (3-1) threw 27 pitches in the first but still allowed fewer than two runs for the fourth time this season.
“I really lacked rhythm and tempo in my delivery, especially out of the wind-up early,” Giolito said. “It led to really, really poor fastball command, at times not really knowing where my fastball was going.
“Luckily I was able to make good pitches with runners on bases early and limit the damage.”
Hill (1-2) held the White Sox hitless through four innings but lost his lead quickly. Jose Abreu led off the fifth with an opposite-field double to right, and AJ Pollock reached on a throwing error by third baseman Rafael Devers that preceded Burger’s homer.
Liam Hendriks got the final four outs to earn his 14th save in 17 tries.
Hill extended his streak of allowing four earned runs or fewer to 79 starts, the longest active stretch in the majors.
He had no margin for error, as the Red Sox were 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Boston averaged nine runs per game during their winning streak but stranded 12 runners Wednesday.
Alex Verdugo’s two-out single scored J.D. Martinez in the first, but the Red Sox failed to add more despite putting runners in scoring position in each of the first four innings against Giolito.
“He had to grind to get six innings,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “He’s a good pitcher. We’re very pleased where we’re at.”
Giolito retired his final seven batters, capped by a diving catch by right fielder Andrew Vaughn that robbed Christian Vazquez of a hit to end the sixth.
The Red Sox loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh against Aaron Bummer and Kendall Graveman, but Verdugo grounded to second.
White Sox reliever Joe Kelly struck out two in the eighth but walked slowly off the field due to left hamstring tightness. He will be evaluated Thursday morning.
The start of the game was delayed by 30 minutes because of rain.
ROTATION ROUNDUP
Red Sox: RHP Josh Winckowski likely will start the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader against the Orioles, Cora said. Winckowski is 1-1 with a 3.13 ERA in seven starts at Worchester. RHP Nathan Eovaldi will start the first game.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: RHP Lance Lynn (right knee surgery) will need at least three rehab starts at Charlotte before he rejoins the White Sox. “We’re going to have a lot of people eyeballing him because there’s nothing worse than getting excited, getting him back and then losing him,” White Sox manager Tony La Russa said. ... Eloy Jiménez (right hamstring tendon surgery) will split time between the outfield and designated hitter when he starts his rehab assignment at Charlotte this weekend.
NEXT UP
Red Sox: RHP Michael Wacha (3-0, 1.76) will face the White Sox on Thursday. Wacha allowed two runs in 4 2/3 innings in a 7-3 win over the Mariners on May 20.
White Sox: LHP Dallas Keuchel (2-4, 6.60) will face the Red Sox on Thursday. Keuchel allowed six runs in four innings in a 7-5 loss to the Yankees on May 21.
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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