Chicago’s Juan Uribe is upended by the slide of Boston’s David Ortiz, who reached third on a single by Mike Lowell in the sixth inning last night at U.S. Cellular Field, in Chicago.

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MCT / Nuccio DiNuzzo

CHICAGO — Since returning from the disabled list late last month, David Ortiz has been trying to find his stroke at the plate.

As his production stalled, Ortiz’s frustration grew. On Friday night, he slammed a bat and tossed helmets after unsuccessful at-bats, as his own dissatisfaction seemed to mount with every plate appearance.

But last night, Ortiz rumbled to life at the plate — a first-inning line single, another in the sixth that resulted in him scoring the Red Sox’ first run, and finally, a booming, authoritative bases-clearing double in the seventh that sent the Sox on their way to 6-2 win over the Chicago White Sox.

The three-run RBI was the second for Ortiz since he returned after a two-month absence and matched the number of runs he had produced since knocking in three against the Yankees, three games into his comeback.

“I’ve been trying to do something to help,” Ortiz said. “Sometimes you get frustrated. But at the same time, I think about missing two months and still not being 100 percent.”

Initially, Ortiz thought he had contributed more than he had. Taking for granted that the ball would get out, he didn’t run hard out of the box until he saw the ball fall about a foot short of clearing the left-center fence.

By then, he seemed too winded to advance to third even after a relay throw home skipped past catcher A.J. Pierzynski and reached the backstop.

“I’ll take it,” shrugged a smiling Oritz. “Papi (usually) knows when the ball is gone, but I guess Mother Nature didn’t want me to hit one out. The wind was really blowing in.”

“We needed a big hit,” manager Terry Francona said, “and [Ortiz] got it.”

Ortiz’s double cracked open a 2-1 game. The two teams later traded solo homers — Jacoby Ellsbury in the eighth for Boston and Jim Thome in the ninth for Chicago — to round out the scoring.

All four of the runs in the seventh came off Chicago reliever Boone Logan, who began the inning and never recorded an out. The first five Sox hitters reached against him and four came around to score.

Logan was the third pitcher of the night for the White Sox. Starter Jose Contreras had to leave in the second inning when he ruptured his left Achilles tendon while trying to cover first base. D.J. Carrasco then followed with a 4 1/3 innings of one-run relief before the Sox erupted against Logan.

Starter Daiuske Matsuzaka, who put the leadoff man on base by either walk or a hit batsman in four of the first five innings, improved to 13-2 and limited the White Sox to only four hits. He went eight innings, his longest outing of the season.

Matsuzaka is 6-0 in nine road starts this year and saw his ERA dip to 2.90.

“He just continues to not give up hits,” said Francona of his starter. “For a guy who gave up three or four walks, he was able to pitch out of jams.”

Twice in the early going, Matsuzaka got inning-ending double plays to get out of trouble. Chicago nicked him for a run in the fifth when a leadoff walk, his own error on a bunt try and an RBI-single from Orlando Cabrera briefly gave the White Sox a 1-0 lead.

But Matsuzaka got better as the game went along, and after getting an yet another inning-ending double play following Cabrera’s single, he began a stretch that saw him retire 9 of the last 10 hitters he faced.

“I didn’t want to be responsible for our second loss in a row,” Matsuzaka said. “I made some mistakes (earlier in the game), but I was able to battle through … I certainly got those double plays when I need them most.”

Added Francona, “He had some quick innings because of the double plays, and that helped him go eight innings.”

Matsuzaka has won four of his last five starts and is 5-1 with a 2.20 ERA over his last eight starts.

Mike Timlin pitched the ninth and surrendered Thome’s homer.

Trailing 1-0 in the sixth, the Red Sox rallied and relied on — of all things — Ortiz’s base running to help them pull even.

Ortiz had singled to lead off the inning and, after Kevin Youkilis struck out, Mike Lowell snapped an 0-for-18 hitless skid with a sharp single to right. Getting a good jump from first, Ortiz hit second and never looked back, barreling into third and upending third baseman Juan Uribe in the process.

Of his newfound speed on the base paths and ability to go from first to third, Ortiz said: “I’ve been watching Jacoby (Ellsbury) and Coco (Crisp) do it.”

From there, Ortiz was able to cross the plate on a field’s choice by Jason Bay.Red Sox

6

White Sox

2

Next Game

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2:05 p.m.

smcadam@projo.com