The Boston Red Sox were able to avoid getting no-hit on Tuesday night. One day later they'll try to avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the Chicago White Sox in the finale of a three-game series.
Chicago's Jose Quintana held Boston without a hit over 6 1/3 innings and had walked just two batters before yielding a single to David Ortiz. Mike Napoli and Daniel Nava added singles to load the bases and end Quintana's night, but Jesse Crain came on in relief and struck out Will Middlebrooks and Stephen Drew swinging.
Quintana's outing, coupled with a go-ahead two-run homer by Jeff Keppinger in the fifth inning led the White Sox to a 3-1 win.
"He was making a bunch of good pitches out there tonight and that was the difference in the game," said Ortiz about Quintana.
After the Red Sox's Jarrod Saltalamacchia scored on Alexei Ramirez's fielding error in the eighth inning, Alex Rios added an RBI double in the bottom of the frame for the White Sox, who have won six of their past eight overall.
Chicago had lost eight its previous 10 versus the Red Sox coming into the series, but can now sweep the club for the first time since May 30-June 1, 2011 in Boston.
"The starting pitching has been really good and has been able to keep us in it pretty much every game," said Rios. "Now we seem to be getting those big two- out hits and have things rolling here."
Felix Doubront gave up five hits and a pair of runs over six solid innings for the Red Sox, who had won five in a row coming into the series.
Red Sox outfielder Shane Victorino did not play due to tightness in his left hamstring.
Boston turns to the undefeated Clay Buchholz, but the righty is looking for his first victory in four starts.
Buchholz won each of his first six starts of the season, but has not factored into the decision of his last three outings. He yielded a season-high four runs versus Minnesota on May 6, but has given up just four runs total over 15 frames in recent meetings with Toronto and the Twins.
The 28-year-old leads the AL with a 1.78 earned run average, but is just 1-2 lifetime versus the White Sox with a 5.02 ERA in five meetings.
Chris Sale was slated to start this finale, but will instead be held out due to a left shoulder tendinitis. The issue arose during his start last Friday versus the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, an outing in which Sale struck out 12 over 7 2/3 scoreless innings.
Taking his place will be Hector Santiago, who returns to the hill on three days' rest with his rotation spot in limbo.
With John Danks nearing a return, either Santiago or Dylan Axelrod figures to be the odd-man out.
The left-handed Santiago has gone 1-1 with a 2.95 ERA in four starts this season after beginning the campaign with seven relief appearances. However, he lasted just 3 1/3 innings versus the Angels on Saturday, charged with three runs on four hits and four walks in a no-decision.
"Hector wasn't able to throw strikes today," said Chicago manager Robin Ventura. "The walks bothered me, but we weren't very good all around out there today."
The 25-year-old needed 80 pitches to record the 10 outs and is 1-2 with a 2.78 overall this year.
Santiago has faced the Red Sox just once before, allowing two runs over three innings of relief.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.