Consecutive RBI singles from George Springer, Bo Bichette, Daulton Varsho and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. broke things open in the 11th inning Thursday as the visiting Toronto Blue Jays topped the Chicago White Sox 6-2 in the opener of a doubleheader.
Toronto collected six straight singles overall to fuel the rally, with just three leaving the infield. Cavan Biggio punctuated the six-run inning with a two-run double. The Blue Jays had just one hit through the first 10 innings.
Oscar Colas and Andrew Vaughn started the Chicago 11th with a double and a single against Thomas Hatch to plate runs. Yimi Garcia got the final two outs to earn the save in a game in which the only runs came in the final inning.
Blue Jays starter Jose Berrios and White Sox counterpart Lance Lynn matched zeroes through the first seven innings — a welcome sight for both bullpens in Game 1 of a twin bill.
Springer lined a one-out single in the top of the third before Chicago’s Elvis Andrus grounded a two-out single to right in the bottom half. Those stood up as the lone hits either starter allowed.
Lynn allowed one hit, one walk and a hit-by-pitch while tossing 11 strikeouts in seven shutout innings. He retired the final 14 Blue Jays he faced after Springer’s single while throwing 67 of his 102 pitches for strikes. It marked Lynn’s fourth outing with at least 10 strikeouts in 18 starts this season.
Berrios proved equally dominant over his seven shutout innings, spacing one hit, one walk and six strikeouts. Berrios threw 64 of his 89 pitches for strikes. He has pitched 14 scoreless innings against the White Sox this season.
White Sox pitchers set down 22 straight Toronto batters before Reynaldo Lopez walked Whit Merrifield with two outs in the 10th. But Lopez avoided further trouble by striking out the next batter, Biggio.
Toronto intentionally walked Luis Robert to open the bottom of the 10th before Jordan Romano (4-4) retired the next three batters, including two by strikeout.
Aaron Bummer (3-2) was the loser, yielding six runs (five earned) and five hits in one-third of an inning.
Chicago was successful on separate eighth-inning replay reviews but didn’t score against Trevor Richards.
–Field Level Media
