BOSTON – Sometimes you just have a feeling you’re going to have a good day and others you have hard evidence that it will be the case.
The latter was more fitting for the White Sox on Sunday afternoon, and that came from the first pitch of their doubleheader at Fenway Park.
Tim Anderson’s leadoff homer of Tanner Houck to start Game 1 set the tone for a successful day for the club, as they used that to help win Game 1 3-2.
In the second contest, the White Sox got a strong performance from starter Michael Kopech, who was in that role for the first time in nearly three years. His pitching along with another memorable moment from Yermin Mercedes finished off the sweep of the day in a 5-1 victory.
Anderson’s leadoff homer was the ninth of his career and tied him with Adam Eaton and Tim Raines for second in team history. Yasmani Grandal added another RBI with a fourth inning double and Yoan Moncada finished the White Sox scoring for Game 1 with an RBI single in the fifth.
Dallas Keuchel surrendered just two runs in five innings of work while Aaron Bummer and Liam Hendriks held Boston scoreless in the final two innings for the victory.
Kopech’s first start since September 5, 2018 was perhaps the highlight of the entire day, as the right-hander made the most of the opportunity. In the bullpen the first few weeks of the season, Kopech had four strikeouts compared to one walk in three innings of work.
That one free pass was followed by a hit in the fourth inning, which ended Kopech’s day. The Red Sox would get a run off Matt Foster, which was charged to Kopech, but the bullpen allowed nothing else.
Mercedes highlighted the offensive effort with his 431-foot homer deep to center, his fourth of the year. All four of those are the longest for the White Sox early this season, and Nick Madrigal two’s RBI after that to help his team pull away.
Hendriks would come on again in the seventh to quickly finish off a second win on a memorable day in Boston.