Boston's Jarren Duran beats the tag by White Sox catcher Drew Romo Wednesday night at Fenway Park. (AP photo)

BOSTON (AP) — Wilyer Abreu homered for the fourth time in three games, Sonny Gray struck out eight in six innings for his 14th win, and the surging Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago White Sox 4-0 on Wednesday night.

Boston has won seven straight, tied with Atlanta for the longest active streak in the majors, and has won 25 of 28. The Red Sox have also won nine consecutive series, the second-longest streak in franchise history behind an 11-series run in 1912.

Gray (14-2) allowed three hits and walked two, moving into a tie with Philadelphia’s Cristopher Sánchez for the major league lead in victories.

“He was awesome, very locked in. … Executed his pitches, had his spin. Pretty much had spin whenever he wanted to,” Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said. “Looked like vintage Sonny. He was really good.”

The Red Sox acquired Gray (14-2) from St. Louis in a trade early last offseason. The three-time All-Star, who was left off this year’s AL squad, is providing the veteran presence Boston was hoping for.

After allowing nine runs over his previous two starts, Gray got 17 swing-and-misses from the White Sox, including the third strike on each of his strikeouts. He needed only seven pitches in a 1-2-3 second inning, then struck out the side in the fourth.

“I just felt like I was, you know, a little closer to just being myself, and that’s a good feeling,” said Gray, who has a 2.78 ERA in 21 starts.

He matched Philadelphia left-hander Cristopher Sánchez (14-4) for the major league lead in wins. Gray also had 14-win seasons for Oakland in 2014 and 2016, and was 14-8 in 32 starts for the Cardinals.

Gray gave up four runs over seven innings in a win over the Athletics his previous start last Thursday. The came five days after allowing 10 hits and five runs — both season highs — against Toronto in his only loss in 16 starts since early May after coming back from being on the 15-day injured list with a right hamstring strain.

Asked what he had focused on between starts, Gray said it was attention to detail and creating an edge.

“Finding an edge, spinning the ball, that’s who I am,” he said. “There’s a lot of little things that add up, I don’t think it’s one thing.”

Willson Contreras had an RBI single in the first inning that brought Abreu in from second.

Chicago threatened to tie it in the third. Miguel Vargas reached on an infield single to third baseman Caleb Durbin. First baseman Contreras fielded the throw off the bag and then threw to the plate, where catcher Connor Wong tagged Sam Antonacci for the third out.

Abreu homered to right-center in the third, his 20th of the season. Andruw Monasterio had a sacrifice fly in the seventh, and Durbin made it 4-0 with an RBI single in the eighth.

Relievers Tyson Guerrero, Garrett Whitlock and Jovani Morán worked an inning apiece to complete a four-hitter, Boston’s 11th shutout of the season.

Sean Burke (7-6) allowed two runs on five hits in 4 1/3 innings for the White Sox, who were blanked for the eighth time.

Contreras left in the fifth due to illness, the Red Sox said. Anthony Seigler entered the game at second base and Nick Sogard moved to first.

Up next

RHP Luis Castillo (3-9, 5.06 ERA) makes his White Sox debut following a trade from Seattle, and LHP Ranger Suarez (4-3, 3.15) goes for the Red Sox in the series finale Thursday.