New-look Red Sox top White Sox 7-4, Gonzalez HR starts rally

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Boston Red Sox's Xander Bogaerts (2) acknowledges the dugout after hitting a two-RBI double during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, April 17, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)

BOSTON ā€“ Wearing their new blue-and-yellow uniforms, the Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago White Sox 7-4 Saturday when Marwin Gonzalez homered to key a four-run rally in the eighth inning.

The uniforms ā€” lacking any red ā€” honor the Boston Marathon with the colors that stretch across the finish line of the famous race. They featured yellow tops with powder-blue lettering across the front, numbers on the back and caps, with white pants.

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Boston was the first of seven big league teams that will don a new City Series look this season, and will wear them this weekend. The Marathon, usually held on Patriotsā€™ Day in conjunction with an 11 a.m. start for the Red Sox at Fenway Park, was moved to Oct. 11 due to the pandemic.

Xander Bogaerts and KikĆ© HernĆ”ndez each had a double and three singles for the Red Sox. Bogaertsā€™ double drove in two runs in the eighth that carried Boston to its 10th win in 11 games.

ā€œBaseball is fun again,ā€ Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. ā€œBaseball is fun in Fenway. I don't know how many people we had in there, but it was loud.ā€

Gonzalez homered into Bostonā€™s bullpen off Cody Heuer (1-1). J.D. Martinez drew a bases-loaded walk off reliever JosĆ© Ruiz before Bogaertsā€™ ground-rule hit dropped in down the right-field line before bouncing into the stands.

ā€œThis is a pretty good team, a pretty special team,ā€ Gonzalez said.

Chicago right fielder Adam Eaton robbed Rafael Devers of a homer when he made a leaping grab before crashing into the wall and hit an RBI double. JosƩ Abreu added an RBI double and two hits.

ā€œI think he's been one of the guys that's been most consistent,ā€ White Sox manager Tony La Russa said of Eaton. ā€œHe made a great play.ā€

The White Sox (6-8) have lost four of their last six

ā€œI guess at this point in the season we're not going to freak out about the record and why we're losing games and why we're under .500,ā€ catcher Zack Collins said.

Adam Ottavino (2-1) struck out all three batters he faced for the victory.

Friday nightā€™s series opener was postponed due to snow and rain. Itā€™s scheduled as the nightcap of a split admission doubleheader on Sunday.

SHORT WORK

Each starter was gone before five innings. Bostonā€™s Nick Pivetta went just 3 2/3, allowing two runs on four hits. Chicagoā€™s Dylan Cease lasted a bit longer, giving up two runs and six hits over 4 2/3.

FOND MEMORIES

Cora enjoyed reflecting before the game about La Russa, who worked with him as a special assistant for Red Sox President Dave Dombrowski.

ā€œHe meant so much in 2018 and ā€™19. It was always cool to go out to dinner ā€¦ just listening to those guys talking about their experiences,ā€ Cora said. ā€œ(La Russa) would always leave me a letter after each homestand that I could read on the plane ā€” the things that we could do better. Thatā€™s the way he put it.ā€

NOT HERE

Lefty Carlos RodĆ³n, who threw a no-hitter in his previous start on Wednesday, was originally slated to start Monday morningā€™s Patriotsā€™ Day game, but the team lists righty Lucas Giolito (1-0, 2.55) with everyone getting pushed back because Fridayā€™s game was called.

TRAINERā€™S ROOM

White Sox: Cease was reinstated off the IL (precautionary reasons) after a series of negative tests for COVID-19. ā€¦ Moncada walked around gingerly after hustling to third and diving back on Abreuā€™s double but stayed in the game.

Red Sox: Cora said he planned to give Bogaerts Friday off, but with the postponement he was in the lineup.

UP NEXT

White Sox: LHP Dallas Keuchel (0-0, 6.43 ERA) is set to start the opener of Sundayā€™s doubleheader.

Red Sox: Cora said RHP Tanner Houck (0-1, 3.00) will start the first game, and LHP MartĆ­n PĆ©rez (0-0, 4.50) the second.

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