BOSTON - The night began in style, with the retirement of Pedro Martinez's No. 45.
Then, the game followed, wiping out any happy afterglow left by the joyous pre-game ceremony.
Wade Miley, who allowed a total of one run in his last two starts combined, was shelled for five runs in the first inning -- four before the second out could be recorded -- in a 9-4 drubbing by the Chicago White Sox.
The loss was Boston's 12th in the last 15 games.
Geovany Soto had a two-run double in the first, then later added a mammoth solo homer off reliever Justin Masterson. He and Jose Abreu each collected three RBI while Miguel Cabrera added four hits for the streaking White Sox, who have won six straight to climb back to within two games of .500.
The biggest blow of the night came in the sixth, tinged by controversy.
With two out and a runner on, Abreu hit a ball toward the home bullpen. Mookie Betts tracked it down, made the catch on the warning track and saw his momentum carry him over the bullpen wall. As he landed, the ball jarred loose, leading the White Sox to challenge the call.
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The challenge was successful and what looked to a spectacular inning-ending catch became a two-run homer as the White Sox widened their lead. Betts, meanwhile, was forced from the game and was undergoing tests to determine if he had suffered a concussion.
The Sox could do little against white Sox starter Jeff Samardzija. Pablo Sandoval swatted a ball into the Monster Seats with Hanley Ramirez aboard in the second, but after that, the Sox managed just four more hits -- none from the third through the seventh.
Boston did push two garbage-time run across in the ninth before Dan Jennings closed it out.
Masterson took over for Miley after the Abreu homered and was tagged for solo runs in the seventh and eighth innings.