CHICAGO (AP) — Garrett Crochet struck out 11 in 7 1/3 innings in his first start against his former team, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago White Sox 3-1 on Sunday to avoid a series sweep.
Trevor Story hit a two-run double and a solo homer for Boston, which had dropped five of six. Alex Bregman had two hits and scored a run.
Crochet (2-1) lost his bid for a no-hitter when Chase Meidroth hit a one-out single in the eighth. The ace left-hander was lifted after Meidroth’s grounder went into left field.
Crochet from the White Sox to the Red Sox in December for a package of four prospects that included .
Matt Thaiss hit an RBI single off Garrett Whitlock, but Joshua Palacios struck out and Miguel Vargas flied out to left.
Story hit his third homer in the ninth, and Aroldis Chapman got three outs for his third save.
Shane Smith (0-1) pitched six innings of two-run ball for Chicago.
Crochet went 6-12 with a 3.58 ERA in 32 starts last year for a . He was picked for the AL All-Star team in his first season as a starter.
Key moment
Boston had runners on first and second with two out in the sixth when Story lofted a fly ball to the right-field corner into a strong wind. Brooks Baldwin got his glove on the ball at the wall, but it fell for a two-run double.
Key stat
Crochet threw 96 pitches, 65 for strikes.
Up next
The Red Sox send right-hander Tanner Houck (0-1, 4.41 ERA) to the mound against Shane Baz (1-0, 1.38 ERA) at Tampa Bay on Monday. White Sox right-hander Sean Burke (1-2, 6.08 ERA) starts against the Athletics in Chicago on Tuesday.
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