BOSTON (AP) — Wilyer Abreu homered for the fourth time in three games, Sonny Gray struck out eight in six innings for his 14th win, and the surging Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago White Sox 4-0 on Wednesday night.
Boston has won seven straight, tied with Atlanta for the longest active streak in the majors, and has won 25 of 28. The Red Sox have also won nine consecutive series, the second-longest streak in franchise history behind an 11-series run
in 1912.
Gray (14-2) allowed three hits and walked two, moving into a tie with Philadelphia's Cristopher Sánchez for the major league lead in victories.
Willson Contreras had an RBI single in the first inning that brought Abreu in from second.
Chicago threatened to tie it in the third. Miguel Vargas reached on an infield single to third baseman Caleb Durbin. First baseman Contreras fielded the throw off the bag and then threw to the plate, where catcher Connor Wong tagged Sam Antonacci for the third out.
Abreu homered to right-center in the third, his 20th of the season. Andruw Monasterio had a sacrifice fly in the seventh, and Durbin made it 4-0 with an RBI single in the eighth.
Relievers Tyson Guerrero, Garrett Whitlock and Jovani Morán worked an inning apiece to complete a four-hitter, Boston's 11th shutout of the season.
Sean Burke (7-6) allowed two runs on five hits in 4 1/3 innings for the White Sox, who were blanked for the eighth time.
Contreras left in the fifth due to illness, the Red Sox said. Anthony Seigler entered the game at second base and Nick Sogard moved to first.
RHP Luis Castillo (3-9, 5.06 ERA) makes his White Sox debut following a trade from Seattle, and LHP Ranger Suarez (4-3, 3.15) goes for the Red Sox in the series finale Thursday.
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