White Sox 9 - 2 Red Sox
Final
  for this game

White Sox-Red Sox Preview

Jul 29, 2015 - 4:23 AM The White Sox offense is rolling behind Melky Cabrera and Jose Abreu, and Chicago has found life in the AL wild-card race.

They'll look for another fast start Wednesday night against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Chicago's playoff hopes seemed all but dashed a week ago. The White Sox's 3-2 loss to St. Louis last Wednesday was their sixth in seven games, dropping them seven games behind the second wild-card spot with the league's third-worst record.

They've since averaged 7.5 runs while winning a season high-matching six straight, leapfrogging four teams to pull within four games of Minnesota for the final wild-card.

"We've been swinging the bats good. You don't want to think about it," manager Robin Ventura said.

Big first innings have been crucial recently. The White Sox (48-50) scored just 27 first-inning runs through their first 94 games, but have 14 in the last four, including five in Tuesday's 9-4 victory at Boston. Cabrera and Abreu combined to go 7 for 10 with four RBIs and have seen the ball well during the winning streak. Cabrera is 15 for 27 with 10 extra-base hits and 10 RBIs, while Abreu is 10 for 23 with eight RBIs.

Cabrera has made a habit of victimizing the Red Sox over the last year, batting .420 with 13 RBIs in his last 12 meetings. He's also 10 for 20 with a home run and three doubles off Wednesday's starter Rick Porcello.

The White Sox turn to Jose Quintana (5-9, 3.56 ERA) as they aim for a seventh straight victory for the first time since a nine-game run May 23-June 1, 2012.

Quintana will look to build off his first shutout, a seven-hitter with eight strikeouts in a 6-0 win at Cleveland Friday. The six runs of support were a season high for the left-hander who has averaged 2.9 and is 0-7 when allowing more than one run.

"He was sharp and I think there was something about what he's had to endure," Ventura said. "I felt we were playing good defense and it helped him. He was sharp from the get-go locating and got out of some jams. Shockingly, we scored a bunch of runs for him, which he was happy about."

Quintana faced Boston once in each of his first three seasons, allowing three runs in 21 1-3 innings while winning once. Xander Bogaerts, who is 33 for 90 (.367) against left-handers, is the only Red Sox batting above .256 off lefties.

Boston (44-57) retired Pedro Martinez's No. 45 before Tuesday's game, but its recent pitching has not been befit of the newly enshrined Hall of Famer. Red Sox starters own a 6.04 ERA during the team's 2-11 stretch.

Porcello (5-10, 5.51) has had a disastrous first season outside of Detroit, though he's been better over his last three outings with a 2.50 ERA. He threw seven innings - his most in eight starts - while allowing one run Friday against the Tigers, but is still 1-8 over his last 11 games.

"He's clearly moving in the right direction," manager John Farrell said.

Porcello dropped both matchups with the White Sox last year but had been 9-1 with a 2.36 ERA in his previous 13 starts against them.

For all of Porcello's struggles, he has been tough in the first inning, holding opponents to a .209 batting average.

Gordon Beckham is 5 for his last 53 but 15 for 32 with a homer and six doubles versus Porcello.






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