Red Sox 2, White Sox 1

 

Ladies and gentlemen, the 2026 Boston Red Sox are back!

For the first time this season, the team has won six straight games and has completed back-to-back, consecutive sweeps. First, the Angels, and now, the AL Central-leading White Sox (although after three straight losses to Boston, Chicago is now tied for first with Cleveland). 

With this notable achievement, we present the team with the coveted, two-sweep, six-win trophy. We're going to the World Series, baby! 

Yesterday, the Red Sox won what turned out to be a pitching duel, and with a starter returning from a two-year stint on the Injured List at that. Patrick Sandoval, in his first game since June 21, 2024, pitched 4⅓  innings, the first three hitless, striking out five, and walking only one. He finally gave up a single in the fourth, and then got himself into some trouble in the fifth. After Sandoval was relieved, our old friend Andrew Benintendi (Boston, 2016-2020) took advantage of the two-on, one-out situation with a one-run RBI single, but that was all the scoring the Red Sox allowed yesterday.

In the fourth inning, Caleb Durbin hit his ninth homer of the season, a two-run shot into deep left center, and that was all the scoring the White Sox allowed, but it was enough for the win, Boston's sixth straight. And for a sweep in Chicago, a second straight sweep. I know I already point those two things out, but it just feels so good to say it.

The Red Sox are 11-2 since starting a home stand against the Yankees back on June 25. Speaking of Yankees, they beat Tampa Bay last night, so Boston (43-48) picks up a game in the standings and is now eleven back from first place, and 1½ ahead of last-place Baltimore.  

And speaking of New York, the Red Sox are heading there now for a weekend series against the woeful Mets (40-54). Sonny Gray (10-1, 2.61), a legitimate 20-win contender, will start. Gray's last start against the Mets, back on May 2 of last year, didn't go so well - he struck out six, but gave up four earned runs on nine hits, including a two-run homer to Pete Alonso, who's now with the Orioles (serves him right). I sense some payback ass-whipping coming up.  

The Mets will start Clay Holmes (4-4, 2.39). His last start against Boston also didn't go so well - he lasted six innings and struck out five, but gave up home runs to Narváez and the now departed Devers (not departed as in "dead," but as in traded to San Francisco, which is probably just as bad). He might have his own payback fantasies, which is just so adorable, but the Mets don't stand a chance - these Red Sox are unstoppable.