Jays rally to beat White Sox

TORONTO — Russell Martin hit a fluky two-run homer to tie the game and Kendrys Morales followed that with a two-run blast as the Toronto Blue Jays rallied past the Chicago White Sox 7-3 on Sunday afternoon.

Kevin Pillar had an RBI single and Ryan Goins drove in a run with a triple as Toronto (33-35) came back from a 3-0 deficit to avoid a sweep at the hands of the last-place White Sox.

J.A. Happ (2-4) struck out nine in 62/3 innings, but allowed eight hits and three runs. Danny Barnes pitched 11/3 inning of relief before Roberto Osuna came in for a scoreless ninth inning.

Yolmer Sanchez and Jose Abreu had RBI singles in the fifth inning to build a 3-0 lead for Chicago (3137). The White Sox saw their threegame win streak snapped.

James Shields (1-0) pitched 5 2/3 innings, scattering seven hits and giving up three runs. Relievers Anthony Swarzak and Dan Jennings allowed two runs apiece and Michael Ynoa pitched a scoreless 1 1/3 inning. Swarzak (3-2) was charged with the loss.

Willy Garcia led off the fifth inning with a single to shallow right, and after a Kevan Smith base hit, Sanchez singled up the middle into centre field to score Garcia. A sacrifice bunt by Melky Cabrera advanced the runners to scoring position and then Abreu hit a single to centre field to make it 3-0.

Pillar replied for Toronto in the bottom of the inning, stroking a single to left field and driving in Steve Pearce from second base.

The Blue Jays tied it on a play in the bottom of the sixth that will likely make blooper reels all season — Martin hit a deep fly ball to centre field that Garcia had to play right to the warning track.

As the White Sox centre-fielder jumped up to catch the ball it bounced off his glove and over the wall to the delight of the 46,599 in attendance.

It was Martin’s seventh homer of the season and cashed in Troy Tulowitzki as well to make it 3-3 and end Shields’s game.

That jump-started a Blue Jays rally. Pearce hit a single to right field in the next at bat and then Goins hit a triple to drive him home for a 4-3 Toronto lead.

Morales added to that lead with a two-run blast to the second deck that bounced down into the Blue Jays bullpen in the next inning.