BOSTON -- The game stuck to its anticipated script.

On one side, superb starting pitching, with lots of strikeouts, weak-looking swings and a handful of hits that produced just a couple of runs.

On the other, double digits in hits, sustained rallies and an impressive long ball.

But the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox reversed roles Thursday night. Knuckleballer Steven Wright, who had warmed up the night before in the second inning while the White Sox were routing Rick Porcello, tamed the White Sox on six hits, a couple of walks and eight strikeouts in seven innings.

The White Sox, meanwhile, who had scored a total of 28 runs in the first three games, banging out 46 hits, watched as the Red Sox roughed up their ace, Chris Sale, who was charged with seven runs on 12 hits and departed after the first five Boston hitters reached safely in the sixth. The Red Sox scored four times in the inning to pull away en route to an 8-2 win.

Sale had held opponents to two runs or fewer in 14 of his previous 19 starts. This was his second worst start of the season; on April 30 against Minnesota, he was charged with eight runs in three innings.

The White Sox had won seven in a row and were looking to reach the .500 level for the first time since May 19.

The Red Sox had lost 12 of their previous 14 games and were trying to avoid being swept in a four-game series for the second time since the All-Star break, the Sox having dropped four in a row in Anaheim when play resumed after the break.

The left-handed Sale has been particularly tough on left-handed hitters throughout his career, holding them to a .192 average since becoming a starter in 2012. But Boston’s left-handed hitters went 5-for-11 against Sale, which included three hits by David Ortiz, a bases-loaded RBI single by Jackie Bradley Jr., and a two-run single by Brock Holt.

In his first 11 starts this season, Sale had held left-handed hitters to an .053 average (2-for-38). In his past four starts, they are batting .448 (13-for-29).

In Wright’s previous start, against Detroit, he was lifted with one out in the fifth inning, his early exit due in great part to the travails of rookie catcher Blake Swihart, who was charged with four passed balls. Swihart turned in a clean sheet Thursday, committing no passed balls, and Wright did not throw a wild pitch.

For the second straight night, Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval did not finish the game. He was struck in the left forearm while swinging at a third strike from Sale in the fourth inning and came out of the game with what the club called a bruise. Wednesday night, he left early because of dehydration.