Toronto Blue Jays bullpen delivers in win over Chicago White Sox 3-1
Trevor Richards and Toronto's bullpen delivered after Alek Manoah departed because of elbow discomfort, and the Blue Jays beat the slumping Chicago White Sox 3-1 on Wednesday night.
With two out and a runner on third in the second inning, Manoah was checked on by manager John Schneider and a trainer after throwing a 91.4 mph sinker to Dominic Fletcher for a ball. The big right-hander then departed after a short discussion on the mound.
Richards (1-0) came in and pitched 3 1/3 innings of one-hit ball. Tim Mayza, Zach Pop and Yimi García each got three outs before Jordan Romano earned his eighth save in nine chances, finishing a four-hitter.
Korey Lee hit his fifth homer off Romano with two out in the ninth, but left fielder Daulton Varsho finished the game with a solid running catch on Paul DeJong's drive.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa drove in two runs for Toronto, which completed a 4-3 trip.
The White Sox have lost a season-high eight straight games and 12 of 13 overall. With sweeps by Baltimore (four games) and Toronto (three), it was the first winless homestand of at least seven games in franchise history.
Chris Flexen (2-5) issued a season-high five walks in five innings, but he struck out six while limiting Toronto to two runs and four hits.
Bo Bichette hit an RBI single in the third for the Blue Jays, and Kiner-Falefa singled in George Springer in the fourth. Kiner-Falefa also drove in Springer with an unusual 8-4 fielder's choice in the sixth.
Chicago scored a total of four runs in the series and 18 times overall on the seven-game homestand.
Andrew Vaughn hit a leadoff double and advanced to third on a Manoah wild pitch in the second. But Lee popped out, DeJong struck out swinging and Fletcher lined to right.
TRAINER'S ROOM
White Sox: CF Luis Robert Jr. (right hip flexor strain) went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts in his second rehab game with Triple-A Charlotte. ... OF Tommy Pham got the day off.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays: Following an off day, RHP José Berríos (5-4, 2.94 ERA) starts Friday night against Pittsburgh in the opener of a seven-game homestand.
White Sox: RHP Erick Fedde (4-1, 2.80 ERA) is the scheduled starter for Friday night's game at Milwaukee. But manager Pedro Grifol was noncommittal when asked about his rotation for the three-game set against the Brewers. "We'll wait and see after the game, see how we get through this game here and see what we've got," he said.