Red Sox continue perfect road trip with a win over the White Sox started by Patrick Sandoval
CHICAGO — Patrick Sandoval left the visitors’ clubhouse at Rate Field and was walking down the wooden steps toward the dugout on Thursday afternoon when it hit him.
He was about to pitch in a major league game for the first time in more than two years, and his heart started racing as the adrenaline hit.
“I had to kind of lie down and take a couple of deep breaths in the tunnel,” Sandoval said.
Then he met the moment, allowing one run over 4⅓ innings in a 2-1 victory against the White Sox. In his team debut, Sandoval scattered five singles, walked one, and struck out five.
That he didn’t qualify for the victory was meaningless after the 29-year-old lefthander made his first major league appearance since June 21, 2024, with the Angels.
Two years of tedious rehab followed as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, only to face a series of setbacks that included a biceps strain.
The Red Sox signed Sandoval to a two-year, $18.5 million contract prior to last season, believing he would be ready to pitch in the second half. Instead, it took a year longer than expected.
Sandoval was a member of the team, but had never worn its uniform in a game. That finally happened Thursday, as he played a leading role in the Sox extending their win streak to six games.
“I’m a real boy now, I guess,” Sandoval cracked.
Interim manager Chad Tracy said before the game that the Sox were hopeful Sandoval could throw 70 pitches. He fell only five short of that goal.
Sandoval averaged 94.3 miles per hour with his four-seam fastball, up from 93.7 in 2024. He threw six pitch types, but relied heavily on his slider, changeup, and fastball.
“It was really good,” Tracy said. “The velocity was up, which was good to see. He was in the strike zone, landing all his pitches for strikes … pretty darn good.”
Sandoval had his mother, step-father, sister-in-law, several nieces, and a family friend at the game.
“It was awesome,” he said.
Four relievers finished the game, with All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman picking up his 19th save and third of the road trip.
The Red Sox have won 11 of 13 to improve to 43-48. The six-game streak is the longest active in the majors and team’s longest since a seven-game run from July 29-Aug. 5, 2025.
They open a three-game series in New York against the Mets on Friday night.
The Red Sox took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning when Romy Gonzalez drew a leadoff walk against Anthony Kay and Caleb Durbin lined a sweeper over the fence in left field for his ninth home run, the eighth in his last 25 games.
That surge has lifted his OPS from .544 to .684.
“I’m not close to my potential as far as those numbers go,” Durbin said. “Just trying to keep stacking good at-bats.”
Durbin, who grew up an hour north of Chicago, also had a large contingent of family and friends from his hometown at the game.
“Maybe 20 or 30 that I knew and probably more I didn’t know,” he said.
The 2-0 lead was in jeopardy when Luisangel Acuña singled leading off the bottom of the fifth and advanced on a wild pitch. He then stole third.
With one out, Sandoval walked Chase Meidroth on four pitches, ending his outing. Facing Tyron Guerrero, pinch hitter Andrew Benintendi tapped a ball a few feet toward third base, and Acuña scored.
Guerrero ended the inning from there. Then the bullpen slammed the door closed as Garrett Whitlock, Justin Slaten, and Chapman followed with perfect innings. In all, the bullpen retired 12 in a row to close the game.
Left fielder Jarren Duran aided that cause with an excellent running catch toward the foul line to steal extra bases from Miguel Vargas in the eighth inning. Ceddanne Rafaela then made a diving play to rob Braden Montgomery in the ninth.
Chicago was held to two runs in the series and hit .158 without an extra-base hit.
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