Red Sox complete sweep of White Sox
BOSTON - Boston Red Sox starter Felix Doubront could not get out of the fourth inning, but the Red Sox still beat the White Sox 7-6 on Sunday to complete the sweep of the three-game set at Fenway Park.
Doubrant was not the only pitcher who struggled, ad neither starter could get past the fourth inning.
Doubront needed 90 pitches to go 3 2/3 innings. He gave up four runs on seven hits and a walk with four strikeouts.
"I felt good for the first three innings," Doubront said. "I had to work in the fourth inning, and I tried to get that out but I got tired, just missing my spot.
"Probably I lost confidence with my breaking ball: 1-2 counts, the curveball, fastball right in the middle. It was a lot of things. I don't remember it all. I don't want to remember it."
White Sox right-hander Andre Rienzo went three innings, giving up five runs on five hits and four walks with three strikeouts and a home run.
"Everybody could see how trashy my game was today," Rienzo said. "I [did] really bad and I don't give the team a chance to win. It was completely my fault.
"I put pressure on myself. I [put] myself in bad position. The Red Sox enjoyed that because I put myself in a bad position."
White Sox manager Robin Ventura knew the walks would lead to problems.
"You put guys on against these guys you're just asking for trouble," said Ventura. "They can hit. They can work at-bats. But when you're putting them on base it becomes a long haul. They make you pay for it.''
Rienzo took the loss, falling to 1-1 with a 5.03 ERA.
Red Sox right-hander Brandon Workman relieved Doubront and earned the win, improving to 4-2 with a 4.50 ERA. Workman went 1 1/3 innings, giving up a run on two hits and a walk with one strikeout.
Boston took an early lead when they sent nine batters to the plate in the four-run second inning. The Red Sox added another run in the third on Stephen Drew's solo home run, his 11th of the season.
The White Sox came back with four runs when they sent 10 batters to the plate in the fourth.
Left-hander Charlie Leesman, who was called up from Triple-A Charlotte before the game, relieved Rienzo. He went 4 1/3 innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on three hits and four walks.
The White Sox added a run in the fifth when Alexei Ramirez led off with a single, stole second and scored on Paul Konerko's single.
Chicago scored another run in the eighth on Tyler Flowers' solo home run off Craig Breslow.
Koji Uehara pitched a scoreless ninth for his 16th save.
"We've seen the consistency from start to finish. He has saved our tail end all year long," Red Sox manager John Farrell said of Uehara. "It's very calming from our perspective. We hope that run continues. Not only has he been efficient, he's in complete control whether it's an inning and inning and a third. It's a calming inning."
NOTES: The White Sox called up Leesman and C Bryan Anderson from Triple-A Charlotte Sunday. Chicago could add more players on Tuesday, after Charlotte's season ends Monday. ... 2B Gordon Beckham was given a day off on Sunday with Leury Garcia getting the start. Beckham is just 7-for-50 while his average has dropped from .313 to .283. ... The White Sox record of 16-13 in August was fifth-best in the AL. ... The Red Sox designated RHP Daniel Bard for assignment on Sunday. Bard, who was a first-round (28th overall) pick by Boston in 2006, was once one of baseball's best set-up men, but has struggled since trying to transition from the bullpen to the starting rotation. ... The Sox called up C Ryan Lavarnway, OF Quintin Berry, RHP Rubby De La Rosa from Triple-A Pawtucket on Sunday. IF Brandon Snyder was activated from the DL. Boston will likely call up more players after Pawtucket's play-off run ends. ... 1B Mike Napoli got a day off Sunday, with Rienzo starting for Chicago. Mike Carp got the start. ... INF John McDonald, acquired in a trade with the Phillies on Saturday, arrived at Fenway Park during Sunday's game against the White Sox. ... RF Shane Victorino left the game after the sixth inning with a left hip contusion and is day-to-day. ... Ventura was ejected in the bottom of the fourth for arguing. It was Ventura's seventh career ejection as a manager, third this season...Jacoby Ellsbury left the game in the ninth with swelling in his left hand after getting jammed a few times at the plate.
