With a young core and some prized offseason acquisitions jelling, the host Chicago White Sox will try to sweep the reigning American League champion Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon.
Chicago followed a 5-4 series-opening win in 10 innings on Friday with a 6-3 victory Saturday. Munetaka Murakami belted a two-run homer and Colson Montgomery added a solo shot in a go-ahead, three-run sixth inning.
White Sox fans erupted after Murakami’s blast. The former slugger in Japan’s Central League belted his first homer at Rate Field and fourth in eight games to begin his major league career.
“It’s just such a wonderful feeling to hit in front of these crowds,” Murakami said through an interpreter.
Closer Seranthony Dominguez, who signed with Chicago about a month after Murakami, worked around a walk and single in the ninth to pick up his first save.
Toronto has lost four of five after sweeping the Athletics in its opening series. Fielding and baserunning mistakes were costly Saturday.
“We’ve set the tone here to what we expect,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said, “and if you’re not doing it, someone else will get a chance to do it.”
The Blue Jays placed catcher Alejandro Kirk (fractured left thumb) on the 10-day injured list Saturday after he was injured in the series opener. Tyler Heineman got the start behind the plate but made a throwing error on a failed rundown that led to two unearned insurance runs for the White Sox in the eighth inning.
Brandon Valenzuela is expected to be behind the plate for Toronto on Sunday in his major league debut.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. delivered his first home run of the season for Toronto on Saturday and has hit safely in three of the past four games.
Blue Jays left-hander Eric Lauer (1-0, 3.38 ERA) will be pitching on one week of rest when he gets the call Sunday.
Lauer initially had been set to pitch Saturday but was dealing with the flu.
“We have the luxury to just give him an extra day,” Schneider said.
Lauer defeated the Athletics last Sunday. scattering two runs and three hits in 5 1/3 innings with one walk and nine strikeouts.
Striking out the side in the first inning set the tone for Lauer, who collected his most strikeouts since also recording nine on Sept. 29, 2022.
“He pitched with a lot of conviction and a lot of confidence,” Schneider said. “He’s really good when he’s mixing his pitches and when he’s executing. I think that’s what led to the strikeouts.”
Lauer lost to the White Sox in his lone career appearance against them last season. Pitching in Chicago on July 9, he allowed two runs and four hits in four innings with one walk and seven strikeouts.
White Sox righty Davis Martin is slated to make his first career start and second appearance against the Blue Jays. He faced six Toronto hitters in a June 2022 relief outing, recording just one out while allowing three runs and three hits with two walks.
Martin (1-0, 5.40 ERA) earned the victory at Miami on Monday, scattering three runs and five hits in five innings. He walked two and struck out six while hitting a batter.
–Field Level Media
