Walker Buehler takes hours to prepare on the days he starts, so much so that the Red Sox arranged for a hotel room close to Fenway Park on Sunday night so he could get some extra sleep before Monday morning’s game against the White Sox.

The alternative was getting up before the crack of dawn at his home in the suburbs.

It was money well spent. Buehler pitched seven strong innings as the Red Sox beat the White Sox, 4-2.

Buehler (3-1) allowed one run on four hits and struck out nine with three walks. He has given up four earned runs over 18⅓ innings in his last three starts.

Monday was Buehler’s longest start since he went seven innings for the Dodgers against the Cubs on May 8, 2023.

The Red Sox (13-11) have won six of eight.

Perhaps expectedly given the early hour, Buehler had some trouble in the first inning. Phil Maton singled, went to third on Andrew Benintendi’s single, and scored on a grounder to second base from Edgar Quero.

The White Sox did not advance a runner beyond second base against Buehler after that. He walked Maton and Benintendi to open the third inning then struck out Luis Robert Jr. and Quero swinging before Lenyn Sosa popped to shortstop.

Chicago starter Jonathan Cannon (0-3) allowed four runs over six innings.

Rob Refsnyder tied the game with a home run into the Monster Seats in the second inning. Trevor Story singled in a run in the third inning. Kristian Campbell then finished a six-pitch at-bat with a two-run single into center field.

With two lefthanders due up, Sox manager Alex Cora went to Aroldis Chapman in the eighth inning instead of the ninth.

It backfired. He struck out pinch hitter Bobby Dalbec before Benintendi homered to right field.

Robert reached second when Jarren Duran dropped a fly ball in center for his third error of the season. Chapman was able to get two fly balls to end the inning.

Justin Slaten finished the game for his third save.

Peter Abraham can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @PeteAbe.