After riding a strong performance from one rookie left-hander on Tuesday night, the visiting Boston Red Sox will turn to another on Wednesday night as they aim for a series victory against the Chicago White Sox.
Jake Bennett (3-3, 3.10 ERA) will start for Boston while attempting to win his third successive start.
It’s been a string of career bests for Bennett of late. After working a then-career-high 6 1/3 innings to defeat the visiting New York Yankees 4-1 on June 27, Bennett produced 7 2/3 innings of two-run ball during Friday’s 5-2 road win against the Los Angeles Angels.
“I just go out there with that mentality that I’m going to dominate,” said Bennett, who has never faced the White Sox.
Rotation mate Payton Tolle embraced a similar mindset to guide Boston to an 8-1 rout in the series opener Tuesday night. Tolle spaced two hits, one walk and six strikeouts in six shutout innings.
Andruw Monasterio, Ceddanne Rafaela, Willson Contreras and Jarren Duran contributed two hits apiece for Boston. Monasterio and Rafaela hit second-inning home runs as the Red Sox won their fourth game in a row and for the ninth time in 11 games.
“It’s awesome, these guys,” Monasterio said. “I love this team. I also want to take this chance to thank the fans because the fans treat me well, and that makes me happy, too.”
Chicago maintained a one-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians atop the American League Central despite losing for the fourth time in six games.
Red Sox pitching limited the White Sox to four singles on Tuesday, including three from rookie left fielder Sam Antonacci. It marked Antonacci’s third multi-hit effort in six July games.
Infielder Miguel Vargas went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout for the White Sox and is hitting just .160 (4-for-25) in the past seven games.
Despite the recent slump, Chicago right-hander Davis Martin calls Vargas, an All-Star selection this month, “the backbone of our lineup” since slugger Munetaka Murakami strained his right hamstring in late May.
Murakami, who hit 20 home runs before his injury, began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday and is expected to rejoin the White Sox this week.
“I think I’m at 99%,” he said through an interpreter Sunday. “The last road is to play in the minors and then get ready for being back on the field.”
Chicago will turn to Martin (9-3, 3.08 ERA), the club wins’ leader, in what figures to be his final outing before the All-Star break.
While he wasn’t selected for next Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia, Martin has steadied the White Sox’s staff during their strong start. He has taken no-decisions in his past three starts and is seeking his first victory since June 10 against Atlanta.
Regaining control will be a top objective for Martin. He walked five Cleveland batters in 3 1/3 innings during a road start on Thursday. Martin allowed two runs and six hits and didn’t register a strikeout for the first time in 61 career starts. Chicago lost 6-5.
Martin will face Boston for the third time in his career. He is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in two previous appearances, striking out nine batters in 12 innings.
–Field Level Media
