Duran, Valdez homer as Red Sox hand White Sox 14th straight loss, 14-2

CHICAGO (AP) — Jarren Duran and Enmanuel Valdez homered, Tanner Houck pitched seven solid innings and the Boston Red Sox handed the White Sox their franchise-record 14th straight loss, beating Chicago 14-2 on Thursday night.

The White Sox surpassed a mark set by the 1924 team while extending baseball’s longest slide this season. They are a major league-worst 15-48.

Duran and Ceddanne Rafaela each had four of Boston’s season-high 24 hits. Duran got the rout started with his third career leadoff homer.

Valdez added a three-run drive against White Sox starter Jake Woodford (0-2) in the fourth and Boston scored four in the inning to go up 7-0. Pinch hitter Jamie Westbrook hit his first major league homer in the seventh, and the Red Sox rolled to another easy win after beating Atlanta 9-0 on Wednesday.

“They were relentless today, dominated the strike zone,” manager Alex Cora said. “Tanner, of course from the mound, dominant, throwing strikes, mixing it up. It was a good one.”

For the White Sox, this was about as bad as it gets. The 24 hits allowed and 12-run difference were season highs.

“It was difficult but today’s over, we can flush it and prepare to win tomorrow,” shortstop Paul DeJong said. "That’s all we can really do, is control what we can do in the moment. Right now the game’s over and let’s go home and rest and get ready to go tomorrow.”

Houck (6-5) allowed two runs and three hits, and struck out nine without a walk. The only runner the right-hander allowed through the first five innings was when he hit a batter in the second.

Houck gave up a leadoff single in the sixth to Lenyn Sosa, who scored on Zach DeLoach’s double. Andrew Vaughn homered for Chicago in the seventh.

Woodford got tagged for seven runs and 10 hits — matching a career high and setting one — in four innings.

The game marked the return to Chicago of former White Sox closer Liam Hendriks and starter Lucas Giolito, though both are working their way back from elbow surgery. The two were part of playoff teams — and the sudden decline.

“We failed,” said Hendriks, who signed with Boston after Chicago declined a $15 million option. “We failed the city. We failed the front office. We failed everyone around.”

Giolito, traded to the Los Angeles Angels last July, said his “one regret” is the White Sox failed to take advantage of a “window where we could have really done something special.”

TRAINER'S ROOM

Red Sox: DH/OF Masataka Yoshida (strained left thumb), on the IL since late April, remains on course to begin a rehab assignment this weekend, Cora said. ... The Red Sox reinstated RHP Isaiah Campbell (right shoulder impingement) from the 15-Day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Worcester.

White Sox: RHP Mike Clevinger (right elbow inflammation) will likely need multiple rehab outings before he returns to the rotation, manager Pedro Grifol said. ... Grifol said OF Eloy Jiménez (strained left hamstring) could begin a rehab assignment mid to late next week. Jiménez was hurt scoring from second in Chicago's 5-0 win at Toronto on May 21. ... 3B Yoán Moncada's recovery from a strained left adductor has been slowed, though he hasn't suffered a setback, Grifol said. Moncada, who has not played since April 9, is projected to return sometime after the All-Star break.

UP NEXT

The White Sox send LHP Garrett Crochet (5-5, 3.49 ERA) to the mound, while the Red Sox go with RHP Cooper Criswell (3-2, 3.92). Crochet is 4-1 with a 1.03 ERA in his past six starts. Criswell went five innings in a win over Detroit on Saturday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Boston Red Sox third base coach Kyle Hudson greets Jarren Duran at third after Duran's home run off Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jake Woodford during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, June 6, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jake Woodford delivers to a Boston Red Sox batter during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, June 6, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

CORRECTS THAT WONG IS AT FOREGROUND - Boston Red Sox's Connor Wong, foreground, and David Hamilton are greeted in the dugout after scoring on Ceddanne Rafaela's single off Chicago White Sox pitcher Jake Woodford during the second inning of a baseball game Thursday, June 6, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Tanner Houck, left, high-fives fellow pitcher Kutter Crawford in the dugout after the third inning of the team's baseball game against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday, June 6, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Boston Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck, left, sits with catcher Connor Wong in the dugout after the third inning of the team's baseball game against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday, June 6, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Chicago White Sox shortstop Paul DeJong is unable to handle a single by Boston Red Sox's Dominic Smith during the third inning of a baseball game Thursday, June 6, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jake Woodford delivers in the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday, June 6, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Boston Red Sox's Jarren Duran begins to celebrate his home run off Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jake Woodford during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, June 6, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Tanner Houck delivers during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday, June 6, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

BALTIMORE (AP) — Lamar Jackson threw two touchdown passes, and the Baltimore Ravens won the AFC North for the second straight season, clinching the division with a 35-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Saturday.

The Ravens (12-5) will open the playoffs at home against either the Los Angeles Chargers or Pittsburgh Steelers. Baltimore was two games behind the Steelers in the division before winning its final four to finish on top.

Cleveland (3-14) ended a dreadful season with six straight losses. Both Bailey Zappe and Dorian Thompson-Robinson took snaps at quarterback in the finale. Neither could move the ball much, and Zappe had an interception returned 26 yards for a touchdown by rookie Nate Wiggins for the game's first points.

The biggest concern coming out of this game for the Ravens was the health of Pro Bowl receiver Zay Flowers, who left in the second quarter with a right knee injury.

Jackson threw TD passes to Mark Andrews in the second quarter and Rashod Bateman in the third, finishing a spectacular statistical season that might be good enough to earn him a third MVP award. Jackson finished the season with 4,172 yards passing, 41 touchdown passes and only four interceptions. He became the first quarterback to reach 4,000 yards passing with 40 TD passes and four or fewer interceptions.

Jackson also finished the season with 915 yards rushing, becoming the first to throw for 4,000 yards and rush for at least 800. His passer rating of 119.6 wasn't quite enough to break the single-season record of 122.5 held by Aaron Rodgers.

Zappe threw for 170 yards with two interceptions. His 16-yard scoring pass to Jordan Akins made it 21-10 in the fourth, but the Ravens answered with 70-yard drive that ended with a 2-yard touchdown run by Derrick Henry.

Henry, who turned 31 on Saturday, added a 43-yard scoring run late in the fourth. He finished the season with 1,921 yards rushing and a franchise-record 16 touchdowns on the ground.

Cleveland has now gone 28 consecutive games without allowing a 300-yard passer. Jackson finished 16 of 32 for 217 yards.

Cleveland DT Mike Hall Jr. was carted off with a knee injury in the third quarter. ... Browns CB Mike Ford Jr. injured his forearm. ... Cleveland CB Martin Emerson Jr. injured an ankle.

Baltimore's postseason opener will feature either a coaching matchup between John and (Chargers coach) Jim Harbaugh, or a divisional clash between the Ravens and Steelers.

Cleveland can look ahead to the draft after the team's quarterback situation looked as unstable as ever this season.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski watches from the sidelines during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Baltimore Ravens defensive back Brandon Stephens (21) breaks up a pass intended for Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during the first half of an NFL football game Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Cleveland Browns quarterback Bailey Zappe throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews celebrates after making a catch during the second half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (7) celebrates after catching a 7-yard touchdown pass Cleveland Browns' Mike Ford Jr. (31) and Mohamoud Diabate, right, stand by during the second half of an NFL football game Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry, right, scores past Cleveland Browns safety Juan Thornhill (1) on a 43-yard touchdown run during the second half of an NFL football game Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)