Shane Bieber and three Toronto relievers shut the White Sox down on Saturday, and the result was a tight 1-0 Blue Jays win that ended Chicago’s four-game run.
Toronto needed just one inning to get the only score it would need. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. sparked the rally in the fourth, reaching base three times on the day and scoring on George Springer’s single to give the Blue Jays the edge. That was enough to hand Toronto its first win over Chicago in five meetings.
Bieber was sharp in his sixth start of the season, working six innings, striking out six and picking up his first win in five starts. He allowed three hits, all doubles, and issued two walks. The White Sox had chances to break through, but Bieber kept slipping out of trouble, including after leadoff doubles by Munetaka Murakami in the fourth and Braden Montgomery in the fifth.
Toronto’s bullpen finished the job cleanly. Jeff Hoffman handled the seventh, Tyler Rogers worked the eighth and All-Star closer Louis Varland locked down his 20th save in 20 chances. The Blue Jays’ seventh shutout of the year came with a four-hitter.
Davis Martin took the loss for Chicago, giving up four hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out five, and his winless stretch stretched to six starts. Chicago also fell to 7-13 against AL East teams.
The White Sox had one last opening in the eighth when Chase Meidroth dropped down a bunt single against Rogers, but pinch-runner Luisangel Acuña was thrown out trying to steal second.
Guerrero finished 2 for 3 with a walk. His fourth-inning double set up the game’s lone run, as Springer followed with a grounder up the middle that brought him home.
Before first pitch, Toronto marked a different kind of milestone. More than two dozen players, coaches and executives from the club’s back-to-back World Series champions in 1992 and 1993 gathered for the unveiling of a statue honoring those titles. The statue shows Joe Carter celebrating his 1993 World Series-winning home run off Philadelphia reliever Mitch Williams, the first World Series to be decided north of the border.
Toronto is scheduled to send RHP Trey Yesvage (4-4, 3.72 ERA) to the mound Sunday against Chicago RHP Sean Burke (6-4, 3.41).
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Burkes outing fit the broader shape of what has become a notable midseason turnaround after a rough stretch in May and June, and the White Sox are suddenly playing with the kind of confidence that comes with sitting atop the division. They are one game ahead of the Guardians now, and the next test comes quickly with a three-game trip to Texas beginning Monday against Jacob deGrom. [Read more 🡒]