BOSTON — When it was finally over, the press-box announcer read the time of the game, 4 hours, 23 minutes — “like the old days.”
He was referring to the Red Sox’ old days, particularly in their rivalry with the Yankees, before the advent of the pitch clock. But for the White Sox, the old days are the last three seasons, each of which ended with more than 100 losses.
While the Red Sox refused to lose, the White Sox refused to win, blowing five leads and falling 12-11 in 13 often agonizing innings. The Red Sox swept the three-game series and the season series, extended their winning streak to eight and improved to 31-5 since June 25.
“Good battle there,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “Some things that we could control, you wish you had back. But gotta give the Red Sox credit. The hardest team to beat right now. We’ve seen it firsthand. The record against them speaks for itself.”
The White Sox led 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth with newly acquired reliever Huascar Brazoban one strike from leaving the tying run on third. But Wilyer Abreu singled to center, and the wackiness began.
After the White Sox scored twice in the 10th on Chase Meidroth’s second two-run homer of the game into the Monster seats, the Red Sox tied it. After the White Sox scored once in the 11th and 12th, the Red Sox tied it. And after the White Sox left a runner on third in the 13th, the outcome felt inevitable.
Sure enough, Erick Fedde, who pitched three innings two days ago, allowed Caleb Durbin’s winning single.
Lost in the madness was newly acquired Luis Castillo, who gave the White Sox exactly what they had hoped for in his first start — for two innings. After retiring the first seven batters he faced and being staked to a 4-0 lead, Castillo walked No. 8 hitter Anthony Seigler and allowed a home run to No. 9 Connor Wong, only his third of the season.
After the White Sox added a run in the top of the fourth, Castillo’s wheels came off in the bottom half, when he allowed two singles and two doubles that led to three runs. He left after four innings, allowing five runs, six hits and one walk with five strikeouts.
“The fastball command, the walk ahead of the Wong home run,” Venable said of Castillo’s issue. “And then it just kind of piled up on him; couldn’t put guys away.”
Making matters worse, the White Sox lost newly acquired catcher Joey Bart to a fractured left hand when he was hit by a pitch. He’ll go on the injured list.
“It’s a tough series, no doubt about it, especially with a chance to win tonight and end things on a good note here on a tough road trip,” Venable said. “I think there’s a bunch of stuff that obviously we got to do a better job of.”
Venable mixing it up
Venable said he’s going to start using the designated-hitter spot to give Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas and Colson Montgomery opportunities against left-handed pitchers. Part of that strategy will be tapping into Luisangel Acuna’s versatility. Venable gave Acuna his first start of the season in left field Thursday, forcing him to contend with the Green Monster.
“Obviously, Fenway is unique,” Venable said before the game. “I thought it was actually a good spot to expose him to for the first time. He’ll run down some flyballs today, get a feel for it. And really the way you approach the wall is pretty simple. Everything off the wall, you just fire into second base.”
The ball found Acuna quickly. Red Sox leadoff man Nick Sogard flew out to him. But Acuna’s stay was short. After the Red Sox replaced left-handed starter Ranger Suarez with righty Greg Weissert in the fourth, left-handed-hitting and regular left fielder Sam Antonacci took over.
Venable also said he might’ve undervalued Randal Grichuk’s defense and will look to play him in left field more, as well. Venable largely has been platooning the right-handed-hitting Grichuk and the left-handed-hitting Andrew Benintendi at DH.
“I just think we need to be flexible in some ways, especially for those big guys that are out there every day,” Venable said. “Maybe instead of an off day, we can keep their bat in the lineup.”
Notes
Double-A Birmingham outfielder James Taussig and High-A Winston-Salem right-handed pitcher Jake Curtis were named the Sox’ minor-league player and pitcher of the month for July. Curtis is a native of Downstate Chatham and has known Springfield-native Antonacci since they were children.
• Shortstop Roch Cholowsky, whom the Sox took with the first pick in the draft last month, hit his first professional home run Thursday, an opposite-field three-run shot in his third game for Winston-Salem.
• Bulls TV voice Adam Amin, former White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski, Adam Wainwright and Ken Rosenthal will call the Sox’ game against the Guardians at 6:15 p.m. Saturday on Fox 32.