Blue Jays keep it going, thump host Chisox for ninth win in a row

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Inevitably, the Blue Jays will lose another game.

Based on how they have been playing and the opponents they will be facing, they may not experience that  until after baseball’s all-star break.

The momentum built from a seven-game homestand sweep carried over into the Windy City, where the Blue Jays recorded back-to-back homers in the fifth inning en route to an 8-4 thumping of the host Chicago White Sox on Monday night.

It was Toronto’s ninth win in a row and extended their first-place hold in the American League East to 3.5 games over the idle New York Yankees. The Tampa Bay Rays, meanwhile, lost to the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers and are four games in arrears.

Two more games against the lowly White Sox await the Jays, followed by three in West Sacramento, Calif., against the equally woeful Athletics, whom the Jays swept at home, before the break kicks in, which has the potential to disrupt the surge this team has generated.

When all is said and done, the Jays have a realistic chance to surpass the franchise record of 11 consecutive wins in a season.

The following are three takeaways on a night when the Blue Jays hit three home runs, while scoring five runs in the sixth — four of those before the first out was recorded.

1. Berrios in cruise control

When Jose Berrios first faced Chicago this season, in Toronto a fortnight ago, the veteran right-hander earned the win, giving up just two hits and one run in 7.2 innings.

On Monday, he continued his mastery over the White Sox, going 6.0 innings, allowing one run on two hits, two walks and hit batsman while striking out four.

The lone run against him came in the second inning but had Vlad Guerrero Jr., been able to handle a sharply hit ball by Brooks Baldwin at first base. Kyle Teel, who was on second after being plunked, came all the way around to score on the play and give Chicago an early 1-0 lead.

Guerrero did make amends by drawing a leadoff walk in the fourth, stealing second base and coming around to score the tying run on a Bo Bichette single. Vladdy walked three times, in all.

Berrios was finally able to pitch with the lead after Joey Loperfido and Nathan Lukes hit back-to-back home runs in the fifth.

Following the Jays’ sixth-inning outburst, and with an 8-1 lead, there was no need to have Berrios on the mound to start the seventh, or so it appeared, with the game firmly in control.

That paved the way for right-hander Robinson Pina to make his Blue Jays debut. He gave up two runs in the inning — both unearned thanks to an Addison Barger error at third — and another in the eighth as the White pulled to within 8-4, before Nick Sandlin came in to get the final two outs and end the comeback bid.

2. Taking the leadoff

Hard to argue with anything the Jays have done or question any decision the club has made in going 26-10 in their past three dozen games.

At the start of the season, it would have been perplexing to think that the Jays would be going with a leadoff platoon of Lukes and Ernie Clement. Bichette, who had held that role confidently for most of the season, was batting cleanup on Monday.

With a right-hander starting for Chicago, Lukes got the call. He has a great eye at the plate and drew a two-out walk in the third inning. He also showed he has some pop in his bat with his fifth-inning homer — his fifth long ball of the season — and finally squeezed home Clement from third with a bunt in the eighth.

For the season, Lukes is batting .271 with a terrific .371 on-base percentage. He certainly deserves the extended playing he is getting of late and how John Schneider works him into the outfield mix once Anthony Santander and Daulton Varsho return from the injured list will be a nice challenge for the manager to have.

3. Springer heroics not required

One line in the boxscore that did stand out on the night was George Springer, batting second as the DH, going 0-for 5.

The timing was odd as, before Monday night’s first pitch, it was announced Springer had been named AL player of the week for the sixth time in his career and first since 2021 when he garnered the recognition three times with the Blue Jays. His latest laurel was a no-brainer, as Springer lit up the Yankees, among others, to spearhead Toronto’s winning streak.

After striking out in the first inning, Springer flew out to right in the third, then grounded out three times to complete his unusually quiet night at the plate, his second consecutive 0-fer.

Fortunately on this night, others stepped up to keep the proverbial ball rolling for the Jays.

Up next

Second game of a three-game series at Rate Field in Chicago’s South Side will feature Chris Bassitt getting the start for the Jays. The veteran right-hander faced the team that drafted him and later traded him when the Chisox were in town two weeks ago. Bassitt went 6.0 innings, gave up one run on three hits, while walking one and recording seven strikeouts in an 82-pitch outing. The White Sox will counter with RHP Aaron Civale, who is looking for his first win of the season.