The Red Sox and White Sox are set to wrap up their four-game series Thursday night. We'll keep you up-to-date on all the action as it goes down in Fenway Park.
White Sox 1, Red Sox 0, Mid 9th -- Alfredo Aceves gets the Sox into the ninth still down only one despite a single and ground rule double causing serious trouble. The Sox have to consider themselves lucky that the ball--a long line drive that a sliding Cody Ross couldn't manage to make the grab on--made its way into the stands, or the run could've been in. As is, they've got three outs to get one run.
White Sox 1, Red Sox 0, End 8th -- The Sox strand a runner in scoring position after a one-out single from Mike Aviles and wild pitch from Quintana going to waste.
White Sox 1, Red Sox 0, Mid 8th -- Clay Buchholz gets through his eighth inning of one-run ball true to form, surrendering just the one isolated hit. The Sox have two innings to support him with anything.
White Sox 1, Red Sox 0, End 7th -- It's a missed opportunity of frankly tragic proportions. The Red Sox load the bases against Quintana in the seventh with Will Middlebrooks at the plate. The Red Sox' third baseman manages to work a lengthy battle against Quintana, and even gets good contact, but Alexei Ramirez dives to his left to stop the ball, then fires to second to start a double play that leaves the Red Sox still waiting for a run.
White Sox 1, Red Sox 0, Mid 7th -- Three more quick outs get Clay Buchholz and the Red Sox through the seventh inning in short order, but what they need now is offense.
White Sox 1, Red Sox 0, End 6th -- Three ground ball outs as the frustration continues for the Boston lineup. The Sox have only the Ciriaco triple to show off of Quintana twice through the lineup.
White Sox 1 Red Sox 0, Mid 6th -- Another inning, another hit for the White Sox. It's been a very sustainable pattern for Buchholz so long as he avoids the walks to help them move guys along.
White Sox 1, Red Sox 0, End 5th -- Cody Ross twice misses a homer, first around the wrong side of the Pesky Pole and next by going to the Monster with a fly ball, but it comes down just in front, leaving the Sox with another 1-2-3 frame.
White Sox 1, Red Sox 0, Mid 5th -- A ground rule double keeps Clay from a 1-2-3 inning again, but the White Sox stay stuck at one.
White Sox 1, Red Sox 0, End 4th -- A couple of fly balls are all the Red Sox can manage off of Quintana in the fourth. This is looking disturbingly similar to the habits of the 2011 team: 10 runs one game, zero the next.
White Sox 1, Red Sox 0, Mid 4th -- The White Sox finally break through for a run as Clay Buchholz suffers some leadoff trouble, putting runners on first and third with a walk and single to Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko. A sacrifice fly gets the run in, and gives the White Sox a small but important lead in what's shaping up to be a surprise pitchers' duel.
Red Sox 0, White Sox 0, End 3rd -- The Red Sox finally get their first hit of the night, with Pedro Ciriaco hitting a line drive that gets past Alejandro De Aza for three bases. Unfortunately, it comes with two outs, and Jacoby Ellsbury strikes out behind him to end the inning.
Red Sox 0, White Sox 0, Mid 3rd -- Buchholz is in rare form tonight, able to throw all of his pitches for strikes without living too dangerously up-in-the-zone. It's not quite the stuff of his no-hitters (as shown by the two hits), but it is the stuff that gems are made of. Two more strikeouts in the third push him up to four on the night, and right now the White Sox are struggling mightily with the changeup.
Red Sox 0, White Sox 0, End 2nd -- And Quintana has a second 1-2-3 inning, once again getting a bit lucky as good contact leads only to a line drive out for Cody Ross. Still, the other two outs were easy grounders, and it doesn't seem like the Sox are seeing him particularly well.
Red Sox 0, White Sox 0, Mid 2nd -- Buchholz enjoys a similar second inning, just replacing the strikeouts with ground outs. The former would be better, but especially in Fenway with a strong defensive infield the latter are certainly acceptable as well.
Red Sox 0, White Sox 0, End 1st -- Blink and you missed it. The first inning for the Red Sox takes just a few scant minutes and involves all of six pitches. Jacoby Ellsbury gets good contact to lead things off, but his line drive heads straight to Alex Rios in right field before Carl Crawford and Dustin Pedroia generate just weak contact behind him on two pitches a piece. Not the best of performances.
Red Sox 0, White Sox 0, Mid 1st -- Ladies and gentlemen, mark the day on your calendar, because the Red Sox finally--finally--have a scoreless top of the first in Fenway park. While Clay Buchholz would surrender a one-out singles, two-strike changeups dropped in against Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko are good to get him out of the inning with a zero on the board. It's a July 19th miracle!