Sheets hits grand slam as White Sox defeat Red Sox 6-1 for second consecutive victory

CHICAGO– Gavin Leaves hit his first career grand slamand the Chicago White Sox won their second straight after a franchise-record 14-game losing streak, defeating the Boston Red Sox 6-1 on Saturday.

Sheets capped the five-run fifth with his seventh home run of the season, a 399-foot shot past Brayan Bello that gave Chicago a 5-1 lead.

Paul DeJong added a solo hit in the seventh against Chase Anderson, and the White Sox won back-to-back wins for the first time since defeating Washington on May 14 and 15. Chicago is major league worst at 17-48.

“We’re a strong club, it’s been that way since spring training,” Sheets said. “There are two ways we could have done this. We could have broken down during that sequence or come together. Everyone here is going through this together. We all support each other. Just a really close group.”

Boston’s Bobby Dalbec scored in the top of the fifth. But coach Alex Cora was ejected by plate umpire Alan Porter after pinch hitter Jamie Westbrook struck out looking at a pitch in the bottom of the zone for the third out of the inning.

Cora kicked dirt at the base before leaving the field after being ejected for the first time this season and 14th in six years leading the Red Sox. He said he reviewed the move later and agreed it was, in fact, a scam.

Chicago’s Nick Nastrini surrendered two hits in 4 1/3 innings. The right-hander struck out five and walked five after becoming the fifth pitcher in franchise history to lose each of his first five major league starts.

Tanner Banks (1-2) recorded five strikeouts. He came in with runners on the corners in the fifth and immediately struck out Jarren Duran before striking out Westbrook.

“I always had that in my back pocket,” Banks said. “Not to give away any secrets, but if I see a guy who’s too far off the bag, it’s a little quicker than lifting my leg and throwing, so if I can steal an out any way I can, I’ll take it. ”

Michael Kopech came out of a charged contest in the ninth, striking out Ceddanne Rafaela and Jarren Duran as the White Sox won for the third time in 21 games.

Bello (6-3) allowed nine hits and walked three in 4 2/3 innings.

The Red Sox were 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position, and have been outscored 13-3 in their last two games.

“Strange game,” said Cora. “We walked, we put pressure on them, the pickoff didn’t help. I was very aggressive with pinches there. I felt like it was going to be a grinder and then Banks with that pickoff, putting him on two outs. And then Westy – I looked at the pitcher later. And what a shame, it was actually a strike.

The White Sox sent 11 batters to base in the fifth and had seven consecutive hits with two outs, with Sheets delivering the big hit just after Andrew Vaughn drove in a run with an infield single.

“It’s exciting,” Sheets said. “It was fun. We fed off the energy of the crowd today, we had a good crowd. It was a great moment, so it was fun.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: 3B Rafael Devers was lifted for a pinch hit in the eighth because his bad left knee was bothering him. Cora said he probably won’t play on Sunday. “Nothing serious, but when he expressed it, we have to be smart,” he said. … IN Tyler O’Neill (right knee) will rest a few days before the Red Sox decide on a possible return to the injured list. Cora said the team hopes to have him back in the lineup Tuesday against Philadelphia. … DH/OF Masataka Yoshida (left thumb strain), on the IL since late April, began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Worcester on Saturday.

White Sox: OFs Tommy Pham (left ankle sprain) and OF Andrew Benintendi (left Achilles tendinitis) will likely take a few hits at the team’s Arizona complex before being eligible to come off the injured list, manager Pedro Grifol said.

NEXT

The White Sox send RHP Chris Flexen (2-2, 5.12 ERA) to the mound. The Red Sox had not announced a starter.

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