Toronto Blue Jays leadoff man Davis Schneider has hit safely in four of his past five games entering Wednesday night’s series finale against the host Chicago White Sox.
It’s a positive turnaround from a 5-for-39 slide earlier in May, one Schneider attributes to a simple adjustment.
“I feel like I’ve been just missing pitches middle-middle lately,” he said. “I’ve just got to make sure I’m zoning down and not trying to do too much in that situation, or any situation, really.”
Schneider’s even-keeled approach seems to be influencing his teammates this week in Chicago, where the Jays have won the first two games of a three-game set.
His contributions have been key.
On Tuesday, Schneider collected three hits, including two doubles, and three RBIs to key the Blue Jays’ 7-2 victory. The game started under a 40-minute rain delay and underwent a 68-minute delay before the bottom of the ninth.
Considering the Blue Jays’ inconsistency lately, the wait was worth it.
Toronto came to town on a three-game losing streak but has returned to form against Chicago, which has lost a major-league-worst 41 games, including seven straight to match a season high. A victory Wednesday would secure a three-game sweep for the Blue Jays, who already have clinched the season series against the White Sox after winning two of three in Toronto last week.
Right-hander Alek Manoah (1-2, 3.97 ERA) is set to start for the Blue Jays as he aims to rediscover his mid-May form. Manoah compiled a streak of 14 straight innings without allowing an earned run before fizzling on Friday at Detroit.
Manoah allowed a pair of homers among his five hits while scattering six runs, four earned, in 4 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out four in a 6-2 loss.
Chris Flexen (2-4, 5.69 ERA) gets the call for the White Sox. The right-hander is trying for his second victory in six May starts. He is coming off Friday’s no-decision against the Baltimore Orioles, when he scattered four runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings with two walks and two strikeouts in a 6-4 loss.
“Just a poor job,” Flexen said. “I continue to put our bullpen in bad situations and put the team in a whole. Tip of the hat to the team … for not giving up. Really battled back there.”
Baltimore jumped to a 4-0 lead entering the bottom of the fifth before the White Sox rallied to tie the score two innings later.
Chicago has only seven runs in the four games since, as consistent run support continues to be a struggle. The White Sox have a major-league-worst 160 runs — 42 less than the second-worst Miami Marlins — and are hitting an MLB-low .215.
Nicky Lopez had two of the team’s eight hits on Tuesday, including an RBI double. Andrew Vaughn drove in the other White Sox run with a two-out single in the eighth.
Manoah has had the upper hand against the White Sox in his career, going 1-0 with a 2.41 ERA in three starts, with 14 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings.
Flexen is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in five career appearances against the Blue Jays, including four starts.
–Field Level Media
