White Sox 7, Blue Jays 1: So long, streak

The South Siders snapped an eight-game skid with an excellent performance in Toronto

The White Sox (24-52) snapped their eight-game losing streak with a dominant victory over Toronto (40-35).

Blue Jays starter Spencer Turnbull had a tough time keeping the White Sox off the board. Andrew Benintendi, the second batter of the game, launched his eighth homer of the season with a 425-footer. Benintendi turned on an 89 mph fastball that caught too much of the plate, and he got every bit of it.

In the second, Lenyn Sosa hit a one-out triple, and with two outs, Austin Slater drove him in with a timely single. It was a phenomenal game for Slater, who reached base safely in all four of his plate appearances. Josh Rojas singled, and Chase Meidroth walked to extend the inning and load the bases. With a chance to add insurance, Benintendi delivered with an RBI single to drive in Slater. Barger threw out Rojas trying to score to end the inning, but the damage was done, and it was 3-0.

In the third, Turnbull issued a leadoff walk to Miguel Vargas, and at that point, Mason Fluharty replaced Turnbull on the mound. Fluharty entered the game and immediately struck out Kyle Teel, but Luis Robert Jr. took advantage of a sweeper with one of his best swings of the season.

The White Sox were not done scoring in the third. Sosa and Slater walked, Rojas picked up a pair of RBIs with a two-out double. That double capped off a four-run frame to make the score 7-0.

As for the pitching, White Sox rookie Grant Taylor, 23, made his first MLB start. Taylor served as the opener, only pitching the first inning, but he was very effective. Taylor retired Bo Bichette, Addison Barger, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the only three batters he faced. Taylor threw 13 pitches, eight of which were four-seamers, and he topped out at 99.5 mph.

Reliever Tyler Alexander took over for the White Sox in the second, and he took care of business. As the White Sox were running away with the game, Alexander shut down the Blue Jays, not even giving them a glimmer of hope. Alexander pitched four innings, which was the most among all pitchers in this game. Alexander allowed zero runs on four hits to keep the White Sox firmly in the driver’s seat.

Dan Altavilla took over in the sixth, and he pitched a shutout inning. In the seventh, reliever Wikelman González made his MLB debut, and he got off to a strong start. González retired all three batters he faced in the seventh, and he remained on the mound in the eighth. González opened the eighth by catching Nathan Lukes looking for his first MLB strikeout. After a walk, a productive out, and a single by Bichette, the Blue Jays were on the board, but it was still a solid debut for González. Tyler Gilbert shut things down with a scoreless ninth frame, and the South Siders prevailed, 7-1.

The series is scheduled to continue on Saturday at 2:07 pm Central. Starter Aaron Civale (4.67 ERA, 5.21 FIP, 0.1 fWAR in 27 innings) is set to pitch for the White Sox. José Berríos (3.81 ERA, 4.34 FIP, 0.8 fWAR in 87 ¹⁄₃ innings) will pitch for the Blue Jays. CHSN will televise the game, and WMVP 1000 AM will have the radio coverage.