Travis Shaw was due.
Not only was the Red Sox rookie working to snap a 0-for-13 hitless streak at the plate, but he was looking to snap a career-long slump on the road.
Shaw has been a completely different player at Fenway Park compared to other ball parks. He's hit .448 with six home runs, 12 RBI, and 17 runs at home (58 at-bats) this season. But on the road coming into Wednesday's game, he was hitting just .065 with zero home runs, 2 RBI, and 1 run (30 at-bats).
Shaw's road struggles continued in Chicago, but he made sure to go out with a bang.
With the game scoreless in the eighth inning, Shaw stepped to the plate with two outs and Xander Bogaerts on first base. He then took a Nate Jones first-pitch fastball deep down the right field line for a two-run home run.
That's one way to break out of the slump.
"Fastball in, I was actually looking in," Shaw told reporters of the pitch. "They've been pitching me in the whole series so I was looking for something in that I could drive. He left it kind of middle-in and I was able to put a good swing on it."
Shaw has been one of the real surprises of the second half of the Red Sox season. His offensive showing at the major league level is a bit of a surprise when you look at his pedestrian numbers in the minor leagues. But after registering only one hit in his last five games, Shaw made his next one count.
"Great day for Trav," Torey Lovullo told reporters. "I know he's been grinding away at things for a little while. But that's going to happen. These types of things happen in the season. These offensive players get into a rhythm and then kind of get into a little rut. But they're always very potent. In this case Travis laid on a fastball and won the ballgame for us."
Shaw previously noted that when he hit his first major league home run, it was a relief. The same could probably be said for his first one on the road.
"It felt good," Shaw said. "Especially in that situation right there, 0-0. [Chris] Sale pitched great. [Rick] Porcello pitched great. Obviously you want to get Porcello the win. So being able to score two right there before he came out was big."