TORONTO – The Toronto Blue Jays erupted for seven runs in the second inning and rolled to a 9-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night for their first series win in a month.
Bo Bichette capped the early outburst with a two-run homer as Toronto took the rubber game of the three-game set between last-place clubs.
Daulton Varsho and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. scored two runs apiece for the Blue Jays, who outhit Chicago 10-6.
Tommy Pham hit a solo shot and Nicky Lopez had two hits for the White Sox (15-35). Chicago has dropped five of its last six games.
Chris Bassitt (4-6) allowed five hits over seven shutout innings for the Blue Jays, who improved to 22-26.
Toronto’s last series win came against the San Diego Padres in a three-game set that wrapped on April 21. The Blue Jays are in the East Division basement while the White Sox are last in the Central Division and Major League Baseball’s overall standings.
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The Rogers Centre roof was opened about 45 minutes before first pitch on a warm, sunny and windy evening in the Ontario capital.
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Toronto’s Cavan Biggio appeared to battle the breezy conditions on Pham’s drive to right field to open the game. Biggio had to jump on the run to snag the ball on the warning track.
Bassitt gave up a pair of singles in the frame before inducing cleanup hitter Paul DeJong to hit into a 6-4-3 double-play.
Chicago right-hander Nick Nastrini (0-3) issued a leadoff walk to Justin Turner in the second inning and gave up one-out singles to Alejandro Kirk and Kevin Kiermaier that loaded the bases.
After Isiah Kiner-Falefa flew out, Davis Schneider drove in two runs with a flare to left field and Varsho followed with a two-run triple. Guerrero tacked on an RBI single before Bichette hit his third homer of the year.
The Toronto shortstop put on a new-look home run jacket in the dugout after the blast. The celebratory garment had been shelved since the 2022 campaign.
The Blue Jays tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning. Varsho and Guerrero reached on one-out walks and scored after Bichette floated a single to centre field.
Varsho scored easily and Guerrero came across on a throwing error by outfielder Dominic Fletcher.
Bassitt issued two walks and had four strikeouts. He lowered his earned-run average from 5.03 to 4.39.
Nastrini allowed eight earned runs, seven hits and six walks over 3 1/3 innings.
Pham spoiled Toronto’s shutout bid by leading off the eighth inning with his third homer of the year. The White Sox scored a second run on reliever Genesis Cabrera when DeJong drove in Lopez with a sacrifice fly.
Nate Pearson pitched the ninth inning for Toronto. Announced attendance was 28,670 and the game took two hours 43 minutes to play.
COMING UP
The Blue Jays will kick off a seven-game road trip on Thursday night in Detroit.
Kevin Gausman (2-3, 4.89 ERA) was tabbed to start for Toronto against fellow right-hander Jack Flaherty (1-3, 3.79).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 22, 2024.
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© 2024 The Canadian Press