Red Sox reactions: Reliever blows lead in 7th, bullpen gives up 6 in loss (2025)

BOSTON — Instant reactions from the Red Sox’ 8-4 loss to the White Sox on Sunday here at Fenway Park:

1) An unacceptable outing by reliever Zack Kelly who replaced starter Tanner Houck to begin the seventh inning with a 4-2 lead. Kelly allowed a single to Lenyn Sosa after falling behind in the count 1-0. He then hit No. 7 hitter Joshua Palacios with an 0-2 sweeper and drilled No. 8 hitter Miguel Vargas with a 2-1 cutter to load the bases with no outs.

Manager Alex Cora replaced Kelly with lefty Justin Wilson who allowed all three inherited runners to score on an RBI sac bunt and two-run single, making it 5-4 White Sox.

2) Liam Hendriks’ first outing since June 9, 2023, didn’t go well. The 36-year-old gave up three hits in the eighth inning, including a 405-foot, 110.5-mph two-run homer to Andrew Vaughn who connected on a 96 mph fastball.

3) Brennan Bernardino also gave up an unearned run in the eighth on a hit by pitch with the bases loaded. And so Boston’s bullpen allowed six runs (five earned) on six hits (one homer), one walk and three hit by pitches while striking out just one.

4) Boston dropped to 12-11 overall and 3-3 against the White Sox this season. So three of the White Sox’ five wins this season have come against the Red Sox.

5) Tanner Houck was coming off the worst start of his career after giving up 12 runs (11 earned) in 2 ⅓ innings to the Rays this past Monday. He gave up two runs in the first inning Sunday when Matt Thaiss took him deep for a 382-foot two-run homer. But he then settled in, tossing 6 strong innings. He gave up just two runs, three hits and two walks while striking out seven.

He got 12 swings-and-misses, including six with his slider/sweeper, four with his splitter and one each with his sinker and four-seam fastball. He topped out at 95.4 mph and averaged 94.2 mph with his four-seamer and 93.3 mph with his two-seamer.

6) Wilyer Abreu erased the White Sox’ early 2-0 lead with a three-run homer in the bottom of the first inning. All three runs were unearned as Rafael Devers and Alex Bregman both reached on errors. Abreu pulled his home run 387 feet (101.6 mph off the bat) to right field with the wind blowing in that direction.

7) Jarren Duran has struggled this season. He entered Sunday 21-for-90 (.233 batting average). But his RBI single (100.4 mph) to right field in the second inning gave Boston a 4-2 lead.

8) First baseman Triston Casas made a nice pick on a throw that shortstop David Hamilton for the first out of the third inning.

9) Backup catcher Blake Sabol picked Joshua Palacios off first base to end the top of the eighth inning. He also doubled and scored.

10) The Red Sox and White Sox will finish their four-game series Monday with Boston’s annual 11:10 a.m. Patriots’ Day game. Righty Walker Buehler (2-1, 5.23 ERA) will start opposite White Sox righty Jonathan Cannon (0-2, 4.42 ERA).

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