Luis Robert Jr.’s solo shot lifts White Sox over Red Sox 1-0

BOSTON (AP) — There is no other ballpark in the majors where Luis Robert Jr.’s 311-foot strike would have been a home run.

Heck, it may not have even gotten tall enough to clear Fenway Park’s 37-foot green monster on the left.

But the White Sox slugger’s bent liner found the first row of right-field seats beyond Fenway’s Pesky Pole in the ninth inning of a scoreless game Saturday to give Chicago a 1-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

“It was hilarious because he hit (38) homers and all that, and then he hit 311,” said Dylan Cease, who struck out 11 in seven scoreless innings to surpass 200 strikeouts for the third consecutive season. “Baseball is funny like that sometimes.”

Playing in constant rain, with the wind blowing at a steady 10 mph, Cease and Boston starter Nick Pivetta tied scoreless innings before both leaving after seven. Aaron Bummer (5-5) pitched the eighth, walking the first two batters before escaping.

Bryan Shaw got the final three outs for his third save, striking out Ceddanne Rafaela with runners on first and second to end it.

Josh Winckowski (4-3) struck out three after relieving Pivetta, allowing two hits, including the curling line that found the first row of seats – just beyond the foul pole which sits 302 feet away marble.

“It’s helped us many times, but today it helped us,” Chicago manager Pedro Grifol said. “It’s a really nice place to play, and there are so many different things going on in the stadium that it’s really cool.” And this is one of them today. Today it helped us.

Masataka Yoshida had three hits for Boston, who stranded 10 runners – 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position.

The last-place Red Sox are playing for a chance to finish above .500 and catch their rival Yankees and avoid finishing last in the AL East for the third time in four seasons. Chicago, which is all but stuck in fourth place in the AL Central, ended a three-game losing streak and won for just the fourth time in 12 games.

The last-place Red Sox are playing for a chance to finish above .500 and catch their rival Yankees and avoid finishing last in the AL East for the third time in four seasons. Chicago, which is all but stuck in fourth place in the AL Central, ended a three-game losing streak and won for just the fourth time in 12 games.

NOTHING TO DO

Pivetta held the White Sox hitless until Andrew Benintendi singled to start the fourth inning. In all, the Red Sox right-hander allowed three hits and one walk while striking out seven. Cease also pitched seven hits, allowing six hits for his 17th career double-digit game and fourth this season.

TRAINERS ROOM

Red Sox: Reinstated closer Kenley Jansen from the COVID-19 injured list and optioned RHP Zack Weiss to Triple-A Worcester.

FOLLOWING

Finale of the three-game series. RHP Mike Clevinger (8-8) will face Boston RHP Kutter Crawford (6-7).