Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Gordon Beckham and Juan Pierre drew the go-ahead and insurance bases-loaded walks, as the Chicago White Sox staged a four- run ninth-inning rally to take a 7-5 decision over the Boston Red Sox in the finale of a three-game set from Fenway Park.
White Sox Score Four In 9th, Hand Jonathan Papelbon His Seventh Blown Save Of 2010
Carlos Quentin stroked a run-scoring double and Ramon Castro added an RBI single during the burst for the White Sox, who swept the set after taking both ends of a doubleheader on Saturday. Chicago remained 3 1/2 games behind first- place Minnesota in the AL Central, after the Twins held on to beat Texas later Sunday.
Scott Linebrink (3-1) allowed a run in the eighth but picked up the win. Matt Thornton turned in a scoreless ninth for his sixth save.
Victor Martinez hit a two-run homer and David Ortiz added a two-run double for the Red Sox, who stumbled to their sixth loss in eight contests.
Jonathan Papelbon (5-6) took the loss and was saddled with his seventh blown save of the year, charged with four runs and two hits with a pair of walks over 1 1/3 innings.
Chicago moved ahead in its final turn at the plate against three Red Sox pitchers. Papelbon walked Alex Rios with one out and moved up on defensive indifference, and two batters later a Quentin double cut the White Sox deficit to 5-4.
Castro followed with an RBI single, then Alexei Ramirez walked to bring on Dustin Richardson. He walked Mark Teahen before Robert Manuel entered, only to allow a go-ahead base on balls to Beckham. A walk to Pierre made it a 7-5 contest.
Thornton ended the madness by setting down the Red Sox in order with a pair of strikeouts.
Chicago picked up a run in the second on a Ramirez base hit, then Boston countered in the third on a two-run double from Ortiz.
The White Sox added two in the seventh. Pierre walked and stole second, then went to third on Red Sox starter Josh Beckett's botched pick-off. After a Rios walk, Beckett was pulled for Daniel Bard, and Rios swiped second. Paul Konerko fanned but Bard's wild throw on a grounder from Quentin allowed both runners to score.
Ryan Kalish began the home half with a single, and with two outs, Martinez put the Red Sox back on top by a 4-3 count by clearing the Green Monster seats.
Boston picked up an insurance run in the eighth, as Adrian Beltre rapped a leadoff double high off the Monster, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Bill Hall groundout.
White Sox starter Mark Buehrle allowed 10 hits and four runs with six strikeouts over seven innings, and his counterpart Beckett yielded nine hits and three runs -- one earned -- while fanning nine in 6 1/3 frames...The clubs meet in Chicago for a four-game set from September 27-30...Former Red Sox outfielder and current White Sox DH Manny Ramirez was kept out of the starting lineup on Sunday, but was hit by a pitch in a pinch-hit appearance in the eighth inning..Boston selected the contract of pitcher Robert Coello from Triple-A Pawtucket prior to the contest...Beltre and Darnell McDonald each posted three hits for the Red Sox.
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