The Boston Red Sox extended their winning streak to a season-high six games and improved to 43-48 thanks to a 2-1 win over the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on Thursday afternoon. 

Left-handed starter Patrick Sandoval made his first start since 2024 after undergoing Tommy John surgery as a member of the Angels, giving Boston exactly what they needed. The 29-year-old left-hander cruised through his first four innings, allowing no runs on four hits and striking out five. 

Sandoval showed signs of tiring in his final inning of work, allowing a leadoff single to Chicago shortstop Luisangel Acuna. After getting White Sox catcher Drew Romo to line a bunt foul into the waiting glove of first baseman Brett Harris, Sandoval's command started to falter, as he walked former Boston farmhand and current White Sox second baseman Chase Meidroth on four pitches. 

After walking Meidroth, Boston interim manager Chad Tracy had seen enough, turning to a fully rested Red Sox bullpen to cover the final 4.2 innings of this one. Overall, Sandoval allowed one earned run on five hits, while striking out five and walking one across 4.1 innings.

"It was really good, velocity was up, he was in the strike zone," Tracy said of Sandoval's return to the mound. "He was pretty darn good," he continued. 

Tracy turned to flamethrower Tyron Guerrero to clean up Sandoval's mess in the fifth. The 35-year-old right-hander allowed Acuna to score on a swinging bunt by 2018 World Series Champion Andrew Benintendi, cutting the Boston lead in half to 2-1. Guerrero, however, bounced back nicely from the bit of misfortune, retiring Chicago's next two batters, first baseman Miguel Vargas and third baseman Colson Montgomery, on a combined four pitches. 

After an efficient fifth inning, Guerrero was tasked with getting through the sixth, allowing a leadoff single to pinch-hitter Tristan Peters before retiring the next three Chicago batters in order. 

With the top of the Chicago lineup looming, Tracy turned to Garrett Whitlock for the seventh. Whitlock cruised through the inning, striking out two while retiring the White Sox in order to maintain the one-run Boston lead. 

After Justin Slaten handled a clean eighth inning, Tracy turned to his All-Star closer, Aroldis Chapman, to secure the sweep over the White Sox. The 38-year-old needed just nine pitches to lock down his 19th save of the season and extend the Red Sox' winning streak to a season-high six. 

"That's a high-leverage game from the fifth inning on, and you're asking a lot of guys to come in and lock down in a one-run game, and you really can't have any mistakes," Tracy said of his bullpen after the win. "They locked down for quite a bit of game there, they were amazing," he continued. 

The Red Sox will continue on their nine-game road trip heading into the All-Star break with a three-game set against the Mets that gets underway on Friday night in Queens. Sonny Gray (10-1, 2.61 ERA) gets the start for Boston opposite Nolan McLean (6-5, 3.73 ERA) for New York. First pitch from Citi Field set for 7:15 p.m. ET. 

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