Payton Tolle has sharp outing; Red Sox defeat White Sox for fourth straight win

CHICAGO — That the Red Sox swept a three-game series against the Angels over the weekend was gratifying, but not necessarily a significant accomplishment.

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The Angels are an organization in disarray and have the worst record in baseball.

But Tuesday night’s 8-1 victory against the White Sox was something much more notable.

Chicago leads the American League Central and had won 24 of its previous 30 games at Rate Field. The White Sox have also been one of the more explosive teams in the league.

“To get the momentum to start this series, I think it’s huge,” said Ceddanne Rafaela, who had a two-run homer in the second inning.

Payton Tolle slowed down the White Sox lineup, allowing two hits over six shutout innings.

The Red Sox had 11 hits, five for extra bases. Newly minted All-Star Willson Contreras was 2 for 4 with a walk, a double, and two RBIs.

He is 8 for 21 with four extra-base hits and eight RBIs in four games since playing a leading role in a brawl against the Nationals on June 30.

“When I’m playing, I don’t try to think too much about the past,” Contreras said. “I just try to go out there to compete and have a good at-bat. I feel good at the plate; I won’t lie. This week has been good.”

Tolle was 1-4 with a 5.33 earned run average in his previous five starts. That included giving up a career-worst six runs over only three innings against the Nationals last Wednesday.

The lefthander described himself as “too nitpicky” in that game. This time he struck out six, walked one, and retired 15 of the last 16 batters he faced.

“I needed it a little bit, a little pat on the butt. So it was good,” Tolle said. “Just keep things rolling.”

Rookie lefthander Noah Schultz came into the game with a 5.68 ERA through nine starts for the White Sox. The Red Sox added to his woes as Schultz allowed four runs on seven hits over five innings.

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It started with a solo home run to left field by No. 8 hitter Andruw Monasterio in the second inning. Connor Wong followed with a single before Rafaela drove a breaking ball to left field for his eighth home run.

Slumping Jarren Duran doubled to left field leading off the fourth inning, then took third on a wild pitch. Monasterio walked, setting up an ideal situation for a squeeze bunt.

The White Sox knew it, too. When Wong dropped the ball down the first base line, Miguel Vargas charged in and had a play at the plate. But Vargas had trouble getting the ball out of his glove, and his throw to the plate arrived as Duran was sliding.

The ball caromed away from catcher Kyle Teel and nearly went to the backstop.

Monasterio was late going to third and was caught in a rundown, taking the Red Sox out of what could have been a bigger inning.

Anthony Seigler popped to first base, and Rafaela was retired on a line drive to right field. The ball was hit harder (104.2 miles per hour) than his home run (103.7 m.p.h.).

Tolle was never threatened. He walked Vargas leading off the first inning, and nothing came of it for the White Sox. The same was true of Sam Antonacci’s single leading off the second inning.

Danny Coulombe inherited a 4-0 lead, and the White Sox came to life.

Chase Meidroth walked on four pitches before Antonacci singled to left field. Junior Pérez followed with a slow grounder to the right side. Contreras ranged to his right to stop the ball, but the Red Sox could not get an out.

Teel then hit a ball sharply that Contreras made a diving stop on. He got an out at second, but not a double play, as Coulombe did not cover first.

Still, that stop saved a second run from scoring.

“That’s a spot right there in a [situation] where they can get back in the game very quickly,” interim manager Chad Tracy said.

Said Contreras: “I’m glad we were able to keep the game right there.”

Justin Slaten came in and struck out Jacob Gonzalez and Tristan Peters on 10 pitches to end the threat.

The Sox tacked on four runs in the ninth inning, two on a double by Contreras.

“We’re carrying really good energy right now,” he said. “We’re not giving up. We’re not backing up, either.”

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