Peavy leads Red Sox past former team
BOSTON -- Right-hander Jake Peavy started against his former team for the first time since the Chicago White Sox sent him to Boston in a three-team deal at the trading deadline and came away with a victory as the Red Sox beat the White Sox 7-2 on Saturday night at Fenway Park.
"He's been everything we could have hoped for since coming over here," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "He's worked deep in games. Throws a lot of strikes. He makes some big pitches in key moments. And even when he's got some traffics on the basepaths, he finds some ways to minimize the overall damage and that's held true in five of the six starts he's made for us. Just a very strong competitor as we see."
Peavy went seven innings, giving up two runs, five hits and a walk with four strikeouts. He improved his record to 11-5 and lowered his ERA to 3.91. Since being acquired by the Red Sox, Peavy is 3-1.
"It really wasn't that big of a deal once you got out there," Peavy said. "Once you got out there you get in compete mode. And we're all used to guys being traded. You know guys. I just knew those guys a little bit more than you know guys around the league. But most guys when you face a team, you got a buddy or somebody you played with on another team. So it wasn't that big of a deal."
Peavy and White Sox designated hitter Adam Dunn, who went 0-for-3, are best friends. The White Sox miss the right-hander, Dunn said.
"Me personally, you miss your buddy and you just get used to doing certain things every day," Dunn said. "Just little things: going to the field, eating, things like that. Team-wise you know what you're getting every fifth day. I think he was good for a lot of these young pitchers, kind of pick his brain like they should have. He's just good for the team."
White Sox left-hander John Danks (4-11) took the loss. He pitched five innings, giving up six runs (five earned), 11 hits and one walk with two strikeouts.
"[Peavy] had a better game plan than we did," said White Sox manager Robin Ventura. "He was tough. For him it's as sharp as you've seen him. And we didn't mount anything. They were hitting balls all over the place and we just couldn't get anything going. He limited us early and got good position. He limited that. He was spotting, throwing a lot of off-speed stuff and really locating."
The Red Sox scored three runs against Danks in the fourth inning, sending seven batters to the plate, to take a 5-2 lead.
"Just an off night," Ventura said of Danks. "I don't think it's anything physically with his stuff. He was just up."
The Sox opened the inning with three straight hits -- a bunt single by David Ross, a single by Xander Bogaerts and a ground-rule double by Jacoby Ellsbury that scored Ross. Bogaerts scored on Dustin Pedroia's groundout and Ellsbury came home on David Ortiz's single.
Boston added a run in the sixth when Bogaerts' two-out single scored Jonny Gomes.
NOTES: The White Sox plan to call up catcher Bryan Anderson and pitcher Charlie Leesman when rosters expand on Sunday. Leesman made his major league debut earlier in August. ... Infielder Chris Curley was named the Carolina League's Most Valuable Player. Curley has 24 home runs, 90 RBIs, 89 runs and 248 total bases for the White Sox's Winston-Salem team. It is the third straight year a Winston-Salem player has been named the to the league's top award. ... The Red Sox acquired INF John McDonald and cash considerations from the Philadelphia Phillies for minor league RHP Nefi Ogando. ... The Reds Sox expect to call up three or four players on Sunday from Triple-A Pawtucket, likely a pitcher, a catcher and an infielder. ... 1B/OF Mike Carp, who was sidelined the last few days with soreness in his left shoulder, was available off the bench on Saturday night. ... RHP Daniel Bard, who has struggled since attempting to transition from the bullpen to the starting rotation last season, has joined high-Class A Lowell from the rookie Gulf Coast League. Lowell's regular season ends Wednesday. ... RHP Clay Buchholz, who has been on the DL since June 9 with what was eventually diagnosed as inflammation of the bursa sac of his right shoulder, is expected to make one more rehab start on Wednesday with Pawtucket. That would be his third rehab outing. ... David Ortiz is now four hits shy of 2000 in his career. ... To make room for McDonald on 40-man, RHP Alex Wilson (right thumb sprain) was transferred to 60-day DL.
