Red Sox offense comes alive in victory over White Sox

Tyler O'Neill ripped two home runs and combined with Romy Gonzalez for six of the 10 Boston Red Sox hits in a 7-5 win Saturday over the visiting Chicago White Sox.

O'Neill's first round-tripper highlighted a four-run first inning for the Red Sox (72-70), who have won the first two contests in the three-game series. He finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored.

Gonzalez, meanwhile, also had three hits, including an RBI double, scored twice and stole three bases to support starter Cooper Criswell (6-4), who pitched five innings of two-run ball.

Trevor Story made his return to the Boston lineup after being sidelined since April 6 due to a left shoulder injury. The shortstop went 1-for-4 with an RBI.

Andrew Benintendi and Andrew Vaughn each homered as part of 3-for-4 efforts to lead the White Sox (32-111). The duo combined for all five of Chicago's RBIs.

A back-and-forth first inning saw Chicago plate a pair of two-out runs against Criswell. After Benintendi lined a single to left, Vaughn crushed a two-run homer to deep left-center field.

The Red Sox responded with an immediate big inning, never looking back after scoring four times while forcing Chicago's Garrett Crochet (6-11) to throw 36 pitches.

Jarren Duran's leadoff single and a Rafael Devers double put Boston in prime scoring position right away, and Rob Refsnyder's RBI grounder plated the first run. O'Neill then flipped the advantage with a two-run homer into the Green Monster seats. Gonzalez then drove a single to right before stealing second and third and crossing the plate on Connor Wong's RBI double off the left-field wall, making it a 4-2 game.

After Gus Varland relieved Crochet, a two-run third padded the Boston lead. O'Neill grounded a leadoff single to left and scored on Gonzalez's double into the right-field corner. Gonzalez swiped third then scored the seventh Red Sox run as Story dropped a single into shallow center.

O'Neill led off the home fifth with another big swing, depositing the first pitch over the Monster for a 7-2 Boston lead.

Criswell worked around four combined hits after the opening frame, but finished his five-inning outing without allowing another run.

After a leadoff walk to Chuckie Robinson and Nicky Lopez dunking a base hit into center, Benintendi sailed a three-run homer into the bullpen in the White Sox seventh.

Kenley Jansen logged his 26th save with a perfect ninth.

--Field Level Media