Jays’ Borucki still searching for a ‘W’
Blue Jays rookie lefthander Ryan Borucki was pulled after six innings with Toronto down 2-1 Sunday to the White Sox. Other than the eight runs the Jays scored with Borucki on the mound on July 13 in Boston, Toronto hitters have given the rookie starter little run support.
In the five of the six games he has started, his teammates have scored a grand total of three runs. Five of the games he has pitched have been quality starts, including Sunday, but he has yet to get a win.
“It is what it is,” Borucki said. “Stuff happens, it’s baseball and my time will come sooner or later. Just going to keep doing what I’m doing.”
The 24-year-old hails from nearby Mundelein, Ill., and grew up a White Sox fan. He had an estimated 150 friends and family members at Guaranteed Rate Field. And though he didn’t come away with his first W, his impressive rookie campaign continues.
“I mean it was awesome,” said Borucki. “That first pitch I kind of let loose then I had to settle down a little bit. But I couldn’t have pictured it any better, so many people I saw warming up and when I was coming off the mound. And so many people I know from my hometown, parents and everything (were here). It was definitely a dream.”
He went six complete, giving up two runs off six hits while walking one and striking out five.
“He’s been doing it all year,” said manager John Gibbons. “Another great start.”
The manager couldn’t help but chuckle a little when asked about the lack of run support the Jays are giving the rookie.
“He’s been that one guy. Every year there’s always somebody and I guess it’s his turn,” said Gibbons, adding that he wasn’t worried about Borucki getting overly nervous pitching in front of so many friends and family.
“I just know what kind of guy he is. He’s very professional, he’s a workman, he just goes out there and pitches his game,” said Gibbons. “I think he’s able to block a lot of things out. You can tell (what he was made of ) from Day 1, his first start down in Houston (June 26) against a great lineup. But he’s always been one of our prized guys, so it’s not like he came out of nowhere. Finally got his opportunity and he’s running with it.”
GAME MILESTONES
Shortstop Aledmys Diaz, who hit his 10th homer of the year off Carlos Rodon, is hitting .355 (1131) with two doubles, two home runs and six RBI over his last 10 games ... Teorscar Hernandez, who hit a home run in the ninth off Jace Fry, snapped his 0-for-17 streak with his game-tying dinger ... DH Kendrys Morales had his hit streak snapped at six games. He batted .478 (11-23) with two doubles, one homer and five RBI during that streak (with four multi-hit efforts). Morales went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a double on Saturday and reached base multiple times in seven straight games to set a new career-long streak (six games in 2009, six in 2016). He now has 23 multi-hit games, surpassing Kevin Pillar for second most on the team (Yangervis Solarte-26) ... The victory was Toronto’s 27th come-from-behind win this season.
That first pitch I kind of let loose then I had to settle down a little bit. But I couldn’t have pictured it any better ...
The Jays won their season series against the White Sox for the first time since 2011. In series count against Chicago the last six seasons is 1-5-1.
AROUND THE DIAMOND
Catcher Russell Martin recorded his eighth home run of the season on Saturday night via a solo blast in the third inning. It was his first road home run since May 3 at Cleveland (Game 1). He now has 180 home runs as a catcher, second most among active players (Brian McCann — 255). Martin has hit 62 home runs as a Toronto catcher, one back of J.P. Arencibia (63) for second most in team history (Ernie Whitt — 127) ... White Sox catcher Omar Narvaez is hitting .420 (34-for-81) with six doubles, one triple, four home runs, 16 RBI and 14 multi-hit efforts over his last 25 games ... Chicago outfielder Leury Garcia is hitting .333 (6-18) with two triples and six RBI over his current five-game hitting streak. ... Gibbons said he loves the young talent on the White Sox roster, but Chicago has lost four of their last five games and 11 out of their last 18. In Saturday’s defeat, the Sox lost for the fifth time when leading after eight innings ... They are 2-4 against the Jays this season and 7-9 against AL East teams.