Boston’s Rafael Devers, left, celebrates with Franchy Cordero after scoring on a sacrifice fly by Hunter Renfroe in the second inning of Boston’s 11-4 win over the White Sox on Monday at Fenway Park. Elise Amendola/Associated Press
BOSTON — Kiké Hernández led off with a replay-aided home run and Bobby Dalbec worked a 14-pitch walk in a six-run first inning, helping the Red Sox beat the Chicago White Sox 11-4 on Monday in the first Patriots’ Day game played apart from the Boston Marathon.
The Marathon was moved to Oct. 11 because of Massachusetts limits on crowds during the novel coronavirus pandemic. The Patriots’ Day game, with a start shortly after 11 a.m., has been played by the Red Sox since 1959. It drew a limited crowd of 4,738.
“Probably the best inning of this short season. Line drive after line drive, quality at-bat after quality at-bat, ” Red Sox Manager Alex Cora said. “We had good at-bats against a good pitcher, one of the best in the league. It was fun to see.”
Lucas Giolito (1-1) was removed with two on and no outs in the second. He allowed eight runs – seven earned – and eight hits as his ERA more than doubled from 2.55 to 5.79.
“I lost us the game in the first inning, and it’s not a good feeling,” Giolito said. “I think that they had a good approach against me, and I pitched into it and they didn’t miss.”
Nathan Eovaldi (3-1) matched his career-high with 10 strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings, allowing four runs and nine hits with no walks.
“Anytime we can keep score runs and put the pressure on those guys, it’s fun baseball,” Eovaldi said. “It’s a huge win for us, especially after having the two losses (Sunday).”
J.D. Martinez had two RBI with a solo homer and single, and Alex Verdugo hit a solo homer for Boston, which split the four-game series. The Red Sox had lost three of four games following a nine-game winning streak.
Adam Eaton drove in three runs and had two doubles for Chicago (8-9), which has not moved above .500 this season.
The Red Sox wore white uniforms with red letters that read “Boston” across the front, which they’ve worn on Patriots’ Day since the first game back after the Marathon bombings in 2013.
Boston’s first six batters got hits.
“They got just about everything he threw,” White Sox Manager Tony La Russa said.
Hernández hit a drive off the ledge just above the Green Monster. Following a 55-second video review, he took off on his home run trot after waiting at first base.
Rafael Devers, Marwin González and Franchy Cordero each had an RBI single.
Dalbec fouled off eight pitches after he had two strikes before drawing the walk.
DIFFERENT FEELING
Bars and restaurants – nearly always packed with lines outside most, if not all, by 9 a.m. – were steady but understandably slower. In previous years, fans would head out early to catch some of the runners heading through nearby Kenmore Square and, since Monster seats opened in 2003, many atop the wall would turn and try to catch a glimpse of the leaders heading into Kenmore with helicopters flying overhead in the near distance.
INTERESTING CHOICE
La Russa brought DH Yermín Mercedes in to pitch down six runs in the seventh. He gave up a run. INF Danny Mendick worked a scoreless eighth, striking out Cordero on a 63.7 mph curveball. He got Hernández to ground out on a 39.6 mph curve.
“We’ve got several that could have pitched in a competitive game, but if they pitched today, they’re out (Tuesday),” La Russa explained.
“I pitched in Independent ball,” Mercedes said. “Tony was the first guy that told me maybe I go an inning. … I responded: ‘I’m ready.”’
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: La Russa said RHP Lance Lynn, on the injured list with what the manager said was something a neck/shoulder issue, will be examined. … SS Tim Anderson and RF Eaton were back in the lineup after getting the second game off Sunday.
Red Sox: 2B Christian Arroyo was out, and Cora said Arroyo was banged up. … SS Xander Bogaerts got the day off.
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