White Sox extend hex over Blue Jays
The next time a song about Chicago gets played on the clubhouse sound system, don’t be surprised if Blue Jays manager John Gibbons rips the speakers out of the wall.
The Chicago White Sox continued their recent dominance over Toronto on Saturday, downing the Jays 5-2.
The Jays have now lost nine of their last 10 against the Sox and have lost each of the last six season series.
“They got some pretty good hitters, they swing it over there,” said Gibbons. “They got some big strong dudes that can do that.”
Three of their big strong dudes did the damage Saturday at Rogers Centre.
The Sox slugged three home runs — all solo jobs — off Toronto starter Marcus Stroman, with Todd Frazier, Matt Davidson and Jose Abreu doing the damage. Stroman was pulled after seven innings, giving up three runs on six hits while striking out five and walking one. If not for the long ball, a pretty good outing. But he didn’t get enough offensive support as Chicago starter Mike Pelfrey pitched one of his best outings this season, holding Toronto to one run in six innings. The Jays managed just six hits, four off Pelfrey.
“They’re swinging it pretty good right now,” said Stroman of the Sox.
“I feel one-through-nine, every guy is kind of on the ball, every guy’s taking good at-bats. Every guy’s competing in the box.”
Stroman said the mentality inside the clubhouse hasn’t changed despite the fact the Jays are on a disappointing 6-8 run in June after going 18-10 in May. “We’re good,” said the right-hander. “I’m sure we’ll rattle 10 in a row soon. Nothing changes from the group. We realize that we’re going to go through stretches like this and that’s why we stay confident day in and day out.”
Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson was uncharacteristically shaky on defence, making two errors, including one in the eighth that cost the Jays a run.
Heading into the game, Donaldson had two errors on the season. It was only the third multi-error game of his career.
The White Sox charged into a 2-0 lead in the second courtesy of solo back-to-back jacks by DH Frazier, that landed in the .500 level in left, and then third baseman Davidson, whose shot cleared the fence in left-centre.
The Jays climbed to within one in their half of the second when Ryan Goins smacked a ground-rule double into the gap in right centre, scoring Kendrys Morales.
Stroman got into some trouble in the fifth, but bailed himself — and Donaldson — out.
After walking Yolmer Sanchez with one out, Donaldson picked up an error after failing to field an Alen Hanson grounder.
With one out and two on, former Jay Melky Cabrera smashed a shot to Stroman, who grabbed it, threw it to Troy Tulowitzki at second for the first out, and then the Jays’ shortstop relayed it to first for the double-play, ending the inning. After giving up a run in the second, Pelfrey settled down and went three innings without giving up a hit.
The Jays clawed back to within one again, this time in the seventh when rookie outfielder Dwight Smith Jr. hit a single up the middle off Chicago reliever Chris Beck to score Justin Smoak, his first career major league RBI. With one out and runners on first and second, Goins hit into a DP to end the inning and limit the damage. Donaldson’s second error cost the Jays a run in the eighth.