Hanley Ramirez on Boston’s bench against White Sox

On Tuesday night, however, they would go toe-to-toe with their former ace and now current ace of the Boston Red Sox in Sale. “I think that is more of a test to being healthy as opposed to going out there and throwing five or six (innings) in 90 pitches”.

“There’s nothing like pitching at Fenway Park, and I’ve even said that as a visiting player”, Sale said. This is where I spent the first six, seven years of my career, so a lot of good memories.

After being drafted by the White Sox in 2010, No. 13 overall, Sale made his major-league debut later that season.

“Amazing”, said center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr., who had one of the Red Sox’s six homers, the most they’ve hit in a game since September 4, 2013, when they blasted eight against the Detroit Tigers.

“It was kind of a continuation of the last one, to be honest”, Pomeranz said. “So we’re grateful he’s in our uniform”.

Overall, Chris Sale almost squandered a 4-0 lead in the second inning and a 7-3 lead.

The 2016 All-Star has allowed 15 runs, 18 hits and four homers in his past two starts. For all the bad baseball the Sox played while Sale was here, every fifth night was worth a look because of the talented left-hander. “I wanted to pitch against my buddies and old team”. We talked last night.

“I’m never going to close the door on [Ramirez at first base]”. He has been deemed healthy enough to return, although there’s little evidence from either of his minor league rehab starts to suggest he’s ready to return to form. If Sale wins this will just add to his already impressive start to the season. He gave up 10 hits and six runs with nine strikeouts.

The only thing the Sox supposedly “won” while Sale was around were two offseasons and nothing else, the highlight Sale’s first year in 2012 when they held first place in the AL Central for much of the season before fading at the finish. “There’s always the discussion ‘Who’s this, who’s that, ‘ but all I know is he’s got to be in the top 10 of everybody on the planet”. He was hurt trying to beat out a hit when first baseman Jose Abreu slid into the bag, with Pedroia putting his hands on the ground to brace for the fall. He also complained during spring training about new limits on Adam LaRoche’s son hanging around the clubhouse, a management decision that prompted LaRoche to retire.

Fiers fell behind 2-0 in the first when Eddie Rosario drew a bases-loaded walk and Byron Buxton followed with an infield single, but Astros hacked their way back against Jose Berrios (3-1).

“This ballpark played extremely small here tonight, but Chris Sale gave us everything he had to get through five innings to get a win for himself and us”, Red Sox manager John Farrell said.

“There’s no hard feelings”, said Sale. “I think he’d probably chuckle after that too”.

“It got me to where I am today”, he said. A top-flight, consensus blue chip prospect, which is something the White Sox haven’t had since Aaron Rowand. That wasn’t the case, some balls fell in and couldn’t put the ball past somebody when I really needed to. More times than not, it was great here, and I appreciated it. I’m playing against my friends.

Sale says he’ll try not to smile on the mound when he faces old teammates Tuesday, but there will be a tinge of sadness.