Major League Baseball

Abreu's double in 10th lifts White Sox over Red Sox, 3-1

Published Jun. 21, 2016 1:20 a.m. ET

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BOSTON (AP) White Sox manager Robin Ventura initially had little advice for Zach Duke when the reliever was brought into a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning.

''No outs, good luck,'' Ventura said he first told the lefty.

''I just let him know we've got five guys in the infield. If you throw stuff they can hit on the ground, it gives us a better chance,'' he added.

Duke wriggled out of trouble Monday night and Chicago went on to beat the Boston Red Sox 3-1 in 10 innings.

In the ninth, the Red Sox loaded the bases on three walks by Zach Putnam. Duke relieved and struck out pinch-hitter Dustin Pedroia before Christian Vazquez bounced to a fifth infielder placed in front of second base. Tyler Saladino threw home for a force out, and then Duke fanned pinch-hitter Ryan LaMarre to end the threat.

''It was a little bit stressful,'' Duke said. ''Those are the moments we kind of live for as players.''

Jose Abreu doubled home two runs off Boston closer Craig Kimbrel (0-3) with two outs in the top of the 10th after Duke's impressive work.

Abreu doubled to right-center after Avisail Garcia walked and J.B. Shuck singled.

Chicago snapped a three-game losing streak and won for just the eighth time in 26 games. Boston has lost five of eight.

''We created a golden opportunity for ourselves,'' Red Sox manager John Farrell said. ''Bases loaded via the three walks. You think where we are with the guys coming up, particularly, we get some matchups that are in our favor.''

Duke (2-0) earned the win, and David Robertson worked the 10th for his 17th save.

Red Sox knuckleballer Steven Wright pitched nine innings, giving up only an unearned run and five hits. He struck out six and walked three while lowering his AL-best ERA to 2.01.

''Our goal as a starting pitcher is, go as deep as you can and give your team a chance to win,'' Wright said.

White Sox starter Miguel Gonzalez gave up one run and four hits. He was lifted after allowing the tying hit with two outs in the seventh.

''It was fun to watch in the ninth inning when Dukie got that three outs,'' he said. ''That was awesome. I get more nervous watching the game than when I'm pitching.''

Gonzalez entered 6-1 with a 3.27 ERA against the Red Sox and was 4-0 against them in five starts at Fenway Park.

He mostly mixed a sharp-breaking slider with a mid-90s (mph) fastball, keeping Boston off stride and inducing a number of weak swings. The highest-scoring team in the majors was getting shut out until Vazquez's broken-bat single dropped into center, tying it at 1.

Gonzalez was a contrast to Wright, who had his usual array of knucklers moving, but mixed in occasional curveballs - one at 64 mph - and fastballs in the mid-to-upper 80s (mph).

Coming off a weekend when they were swept in three games at Cleveland and scored just six total runs, the White Sox grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second. Brett Lawrie had a one-out double, advanced on a flyout and scored on Vazquez's passed ball.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Red Sox: Utility player Brock Holt (concussion) played his first rehab game for Triple-A Pawtucket, going 2 for 3 with two doubles. President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski said the plan was for Holt to play part of two games, get a day off and then play an entire game before the club addresses his potential return.

PLAYERS' MEETING

White Sox players had a closed-door meeting while Ventura held his pregame media session in the dugout.

CASTILLO CLEARS WAIVERS

Red Sox OF Rusney Castillo cleared waivers and was assigned to Triple-A, taking him off the 40-man roster.

''In Rusney's case it's a situation where roster spots are valuable and you make decisions on who you think will get claimed and not get claimed,'' Dombrowski said. ''We felt at this time based on offensive performance that we'd be able to get him through waivers.''

Boston signed Castillo to a $72.5 million, seven-year contract in August 2014.

UP NEXT

White Sox: LHP Chris Sale (11-2, 2.94 ERA) starts Tuesday night at Fenway Park. He has won his last two starts.

Red Sox: Clay Buchholz (3-6, 5.86) is slated to return to the rotation after getting demoted to the bullpen earlier this month.

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