Red Sox Steal Victory From White Sox With 9th-Inning HR
BOSTON (AP) — Cody Ross hit a three-run homer with one out in the bottom of the ninth to give the Boston Red Sox a 3-1 win over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.
It came one night after Ross hit three-run homers in consecutive innings of a 10-1 win.
Boston took three of four games in the series and is 5-2 since the All Star break.
It was the fifth loss in 13 games for AL Central-leading Chicago, which opens three-game series at second-place Detroit on Friday night.
Matt Thornton (2-6) got one out, but left with runners on first and second before Addison Reed faced Ross, who hit a 1-1 pitch into the Green Monster seats.
Carl Crawford opened the ninth with a single, but was erased on Dustin Pedroia's fielder's choice grounder. Adrian Gonzalez then singled to right before Reed came in. Just before the first pitch, Boston sent Nick Punto in to pinch run, slowing Reed down a bit.
Alfredo Aceves (1-6) pitched one inning for the win.
Boston's Clay Buchholz had a solid start, allowing one run, six hits, striking out six and walking one in eight innings.
Chicago rookie left-hander Jose Quintana continued the impressive start to his career, pitching eight shutout innings, before Boston's comeback win.
Quintana held Boston to five hits, striking out two and not walking a batter in his 10th major-league start. The 23-year old has held opponents two runs or fewer in eight starts.
Buchholz had been given the second-most run support in the majors at 7.48 runs per nine innings — only behind teammate Felix Doubront's 8.38 per — but the Red Sox couldn't solve the rookie lefty.
Boston was held to one hit until loading the bases with one out in the seventh on singles by Pedroia, Gonzalez and Ross. Shortstop Alexei Ramirez was leaning the wrong way on Will Middlebrooks' liner, dove back, grabbed the ball on one hop and fired to second to start an inning-ending double play.
The White Sox grabbed a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Adam Dunn drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on Paul Konerko's single, barely beating right fielder Ross' throw. Alex Rios followed with his sacrifice fly to center and Dunn trotted home easily.
Unlike Wednesday night when the Red Sox pounded a rookie left-handed starter for eight runs, three homers and 12 hits in four innings, Boston had just Pedro Ciriaco's two-out triple in the third.
Second baseman Pedroia returned from the 15-day disabled list after being out with a strained right thumb and went 1 for 4.
Chicago's Kevin Youkilis didn't play because of a tight left hamstring. He was 4 for 8 with a homer and three RBIs in his first series against his former team of 7 1-2 years since being traded on June 24.
NOTES: "Every once in a while it flares up on him," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said of Youkilis' tight hamstring. "It flared up last night and we can give him the night off to get him ready for the weekend." It was the first time he hasn't played since being acquired from the Red Sox June 24. ... White Sox LHP John Danks, out with a mild muscle strain in his shoulder since May, played catch again Thursday and felt good, which is a lot different than a few weeks ago. "It would hurt for a couple of days after I did it then," he said. ... The Red Sox traded right-hander Justin Germano to the Chicago Cubs for cash. ... Ventura agreed that this weekend's series at Detroit is important. "It's a big series, but it's not going to win or break (our season)," he said. ... Right-handed hitting Kelly Shoppach was Boston's catcher for the second straight night with a lefty starter again. ... TV personality Joan Rivers was in the Monster seats.
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