Sheets hits grand slam as the White Sox beat the Red Sox 6-1 for 2nd straight win
CHICAGO (AP) — Gavin Sheets hit his first career grand slam, and the Chicago White Sox won their second straight after a franchise-record 14-game losing streak, beating the Boston Red Sox 6-1 on Saturday.
Sheets capped a five-run fifth with his seventh homer of the season, a 399-foot drive to right off Brayan Bello that gave Chicago a 5-1 lead.
Paul DeJong added a solo drive in the seventh against Chase Anderson, and the White Sox earned consecutive wins for the first time since beating Washington on May 14 and 15. Chicago is a major league-worst 17-48.
Boston’s Bobby Dalbec homered leading off the fifth. But manager Alex Cora got ejected by home plate umpire Alan Porter after pinch-hitter Jamie Westbrook struck out looking at a pitch in the lower part of the zone for the third out of the inning.
Cora kicked dirt on the plate before heading off the field after being thrown out for the first time this season and 14th time in six years leading the Red Sox.
Chicago's Nick Nastrini surrendered two hits in 4 1/3 innings. The right-hander struck out five and walked five after becoming the fifth pitcher in franchise history to lose each of his first five major league starts.
Tanner Banks (1-2) recorded five outs. Michael Kopech pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth, striking out Ceddanne Rafaela and Jarren Duran, as the White Sox won for the third time in 21 games.
Bello (6-3) allowed nine hits and walked three in 4 2/3 innings.
The White Sox sent 11 batters to the plate in the fifth.
Danny Mendick doubled, and Corey Julks and Zach DeLoach drew back-to-back walks with two out. Andrew Vaughn then tied with an infield single.
After Sheets went deep, the White Sox got three straight singles to load the bases again. Zack Kelly came in for Bello and retired Mendick to end the inning.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Red Sox: OF Tyler O’Neill is going to rest for a couple days before the Red Sox decide on a possible return to the injured list. His ailing right knee flared up in Friday's loss. Cora said the team hopes to have him back in the lineup Tuesday against Philadelphia. ... DH/OF Masataka Yoshida (strained left thumb), on the IL since late April, began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester on Saturday.
White Sox: OFs Tommy Pham (left ankle sprain) and OF Andrew Benintendi (left achilles tendinitis) will likely get some at-bats at the team's complex in Arizona before they are eligible to come off the injured list, manager Pedro Grifol said.
UP NEXT
The White Sox send RHP Chris Flexen (2-2, 5.12 ERA) to the mound. The Red Sox were going with a bullpen game and had not announced a starter.
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