A common refrain during the Toronto Blue Jays’ best winning streak in a decade has been “it’s a different guy every night.”
With Toronto’s tear at nine games entering Tuesday’s visit to the Chicago White Sox, someone theoretically must contribute a repeat heroic performance to keep the streak alive.
Toronto will seek to secure its fifth straight series victory after earning an 8-4 win in the series opener Monday. Joey Loperfido, Nathan Lukes and Addison Barger homered while Bo Bichette and Loperfido delivered two hits apiece.
Toronto navigated a late White Sox rally to hold on. The Blue Jays are on their first nine-game winning streak since the 2015 club won 12 straight.
Monday marked the home debut of White Sox rookie shortstop Colson Montgomery, who walked and scored a run. Leadoff man Mike Tauchman delivered three hits, including a two-run single.
“We’re getting some good at-bats and good swings and hopefully we can keep putting those together tomorrow,” Chicago manager Will Venable said.
Toronto has clicked since losing two of three to the visiting White Sox from June 20-22. The Blue Jays have won 12 of 14 while benefiting from solid pitching and an opportunistic attack.
Shortly after earning plaudits as American League Player of the Week, Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer went 0-for-5 Monday. But the rest of the lineup picked him up as Toronto won again.
This time, it was Loperfido who excelled in his second game since being recalled from Triple-A Buffalo.
“(Toronto’s) games are on … in our clubhouse down there. Everybody’s pulling for everybody,” Loperfido said. “There have been some Bisons that have come up here and contributed all season long. … I think it speaks to the culture of the organization.
“Guys are rooting for each other and pulling for each other because they know how hard it is to do it up here.”
Veteran right-hander Aaron Civale will start for the White Sox as he tries for his first victory since joining Chicago in mid-June.
Civale (1-5, 4.60 ERA) is 0-3 with a 4.29 ERA in four starts with the White Sox. He is coming off Thursday’s road loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, when he yielded five runs, two earned, and five hits in five innings.
Civale lost to the host Blue Jays on June 21, allowing five runs and nine hits in a season-high seven innings. Civale issued just one walk for the fourth time this season but proved susceptible to the long ball, as Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. both reached him for solo home runs.
Toronto righty Chris Bassitt took a no-decision against the White Sox one day later, allowing one run and three hits in six innings with one walk and seven strikeouts. Bassitt will start for the Blue Jays on Tuesday.
In his last start, Bassitt (8-4, 4.32) pitched 5 2/3 innings of three-run, eight-hit ball to defeat the New York Yankees, picking up his first win since June 10. He walked three and struck out nine, one shy of his season high.
Bassitt has pitched effectively versus the White Sox in his career, going 5-2 with a 2.78 ERA in 10 starts.
Civale is 2-4 with a 5.40 ERA in six starts against Toronto.
–Field Level Media
