Yesterday’s 7-1 embarrassment has been avenged. Jose Berrios did what they desperately needed, allowing them to reset the bullpen after it got worn out by Spencer Turnbull’s failure yesterday. Now they just need to take care of business tomorrow, with Bassitt on the mound.
The Jays needed length from Jose Berrios today, and they got it. The White Sox got two on in the first, on a walk and a line single, but he prevented either runner from scoring. He cruised through the next four innings, with a hit by pitch in the third and a walk in the fifth being the only runners he allowed.
Chicago got a run in the sixth. Miguel Vargas lofted a fly ball just inside the right field line. A sliding Nathan Lukes couldn’t come up with it, and Vargas was able to make it to third. Andrew Benintendi followed with a grounder to first. Vlad decided to go home with the throw and while he was in plenty of time the throw was off line, forcing Kirk to lunge to his left for the ball and allowing Vargas to evade the tag. A double play ended the threat there.
Berrios returned for a 1-2-3 seventh. He struck out the first two batters in the eighth before a walk to Ryan Noda ended his day. Yariel Rodriguez got a ground out to end the inning. It was a very good, very efficient day for Jose. He threw only 98 pitches to go 7.2, allowing one run on two hits, three walks and a hit batter while striking out five.
The Jays were able to jump Aaron Civale early. Bo Bichette lead off the bottom of the first with his eleventh home run. A parade of singles by Springer, Clement, Schneider, Straw, and Lukes added up to three more runs in the second.
The bats went oddly quiet after that. Civale faced the minimum in the third and fourth. Lukes and Kirk managed singles in the fifth but they couldn’t capitalize. Schneider walked in the sixth, but again was stranded.
Finally, in the seventh, Vlad launched a solo homer to extend the lead back to four, 5-1.
They’d add some insurance in the eighth. Now facing Jake Palisch in relief of Civale, Springer and Clement set the table with a pair of singles. Davis Schneider cashed both in with a line double to left.
That 7-1 score is where it would wind up. Chad Green wrapped it up with a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out Lenyn Sosa for the final out.
Jays of the Day: Berrios (0.245), Clement (0.122)
Not So Much: nobody
It’s an early afternoon game tomorrow, with first pitch slated for 1:37pm ET. The Jays will start Chris Bassitt (7-3, 3.75), while Chicago will turn to Adrian Houser (2-2, 2.15)