Boston ? Most of the Chicago White Sox weren’t too excited about giving up their Labor Day for a one-day road trip to Boston.

For Brandon McCarthy, it was the opportunity of a lifetime.

“I don’t have the advantage of picking and choosing things like that,” the 22-year-old rookie said after pitching seven shutout innings to beat the Red Sox, 5-3, Monday.

McCarthy earned the spot start in a reluctantly scheduled makeup of an August rainout and extended his scoreless streak to 142â3 innings.

“To get to throw in Fenway is just fun throughout,” he said. “Me and a couple of other guys here are a couple of weeks removed from nine-hour bus rides or plane flights at six in the morning. So having a one-day road trip is not a bad deal.”

Chicago earned its fifth consecutive victory to remain 91â2 games ahead of second-place Cleveland and drop its magic number for clinching the AL Central to 17. Boston lost for just the third time in 24 home games, and its AL East lead was cut to three games ahead of the idle New York Yankees.

The Red Sox were cautiously encouraged by the performance of former ace Curt Schilling and former closer Keith Foulke, stars of last year’s World Series run who have struggled this season. Manager Terry Francona called both outings a “step in the right direction.”

Schilling (5-7) gave up four runs, nine hits, three walks and a hit batter in 61â3 innings, striking out four. Still, it was the first time in six starts this season that Schilling, who is recovering from ankle surgery, allowed fewer than five earned runs.

Foulke pitched 12â3 hitless innings in his second scoreless outing since missing 50 games for left knee surgery.

Chicago White Sox rookie Brandon McCarthy fires a pitch during his 5-3 victory over the Red Sox. Chicago won Monday in a makeup game at Fenway Park.

“I felt as strong when I came out of the game as I did when I went in,” said Schilling, whose 118 pitches matched a season high. “To go out against a kid that’s throwing the ball as well as Brandon threw the ball today, there’s no margin of error.”

McCarthy (2-1) allowed three hits and a walk, striking out seven and possibly forcing his way into the White Sox rotation. Up and down from Triple-A since making his major-league debut on May 22, he has won both starts in his latest recall to lower his earned-run average from 8.14 to 5.08.

“He pitched two big games for us,” said Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen, who is planning to talk to general manager Kenny Williams about the rookie’s role. “It’s going to be a real interesting talk.”

The game was a makeup of an Aug. 14 rainout that was called when Chicago was leading 5-2 in the fourth inning. Neither team was thrilled about giving up a home day off on a holiday; the White Sox had to interrupt a 10-game homestand, and Boston will play on 30 consecutive days.

The White Sox left five pitchers behind for the one-game trip – the team’s first since 1990 – and catcher A.J. Pierzynski returned to Florida to be with his pregnant wife.

“I told my players, ‘Don’t just come here and play the game just to fill out the schedule,” Guillen said. “It’s a big game for us.”

Paul Konerko homered, and Juan Uribe had a single, a double and a homer for the White Sox. Boston got just one runner to third before the ninth, when Tony Graffanino hit a three-run homer with two outs off Bobby Jenks.

Schilling shut out Chicago for three innings before Konerko doubled and scored in the fourth. Uribe doubled to make it 2-0, took third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Tadahito Iguchi’s squeeze bunt.

Konerko homered to lead off the sixth and make it 4-0.

Mariners 2, Athletics 0

Oakland, Calif. – Teen phenom Felix Hernandez (3-2) allowed four hits in seven innings, struck out five and walked one, dropping Oakland 11â2 games back of the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West and 11â2 games behind the New York Yankees, who lead the wild-card race.

Seattle scored in the sixth against Joe Blanton (8-11) on Adrian Beltre’s sacrifice fly and Greg Dobbs’ run-scoring single. Eddie Guardado worked the ninth for his 30th save, completing a five-hitter.

Indians 2, Tigers 0

Detroit – Scott Elarton (8-7) allowed four hits in 61â3 innings as Cleveland pulled within 11â2 games of the AL wild-card lead. He had been 0-2 in five starts since Aug. 2.

Jose Hernandez homered to help send Detroit to its fifth straight loss. The Tigers haven’t scored in 19 innings.

Bob Wickman pitched the ninth for his 36th save, getting pinch-hitter Chris Shelton to ground into a game-ending double play with runners on first and second.

Mike Maroth (12-13) allowed two runs and five hits in six innings.

Rangers 7, Twins 0

Minneapolis – David Dellucci hit a three-run double to back Kameron Loe (8-4), who allowed five hits in eight innings, the longest of his three starts this season. C.J. Wilson pitched a one-hit ninth as Texas won for the 11th time in 15 games.

Carlos Silva (9-7) allowed six runs – one earned – and eight hits in seven innings. He is 2-4 since the All-Star break despite a 2.85 ERA.

Blue Jays 6, Orioles 2

Baltimore – Gustavo Chacin (12-8) gave up one run, four hits and a walk in 61â3 innings to earn his first win in seven starts since July 31.

Shea Hillenbrand scored a run and drove in one. Bruce Chen (11-9) allowed two runs and five hits in six innings.