The Sports Xchange
Jun 17, 2017
TORONTO -- Todd Frazier, Matt Davidson and Jose Abreu hit solo home runs, Mike Pelfrey pitched six effective innings and the Chicago White Sox defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 5-2 on Saturday afternoon.
The White Sox (31-36) have won the first two games of the three-game series and have defeated the Blue Jays (33-35) in nine of their past 10 meetings.
Pelfrey (3-5) allowed four hits and one run while striking out five to earn his first win since May 26.
David Robertson pitched a perfect ninth to earn his 11th save.
Toronto starter Marcus Stroman (7-3) allowed three home runs among six hits, one walk and three runs in seven innings. He struck out five. It was his first loss since April 18.
The White Sox grabbed an early lead on back-to-back homers by Frazier and Davidson in the second inning. Frazier's 11th of the season came on a 1-1 fastball and Davidson's 15th came on an 0-2 slider.
The Blue Jays responded with one run in the bottom of the second on singles by Kendrys Morales and Troy Tulowitzki and a ground-rule double by Ryan Goins.
Chicago regained a two-run lead in the sixth when Abreu hit a 2-2 slider for his 11th home run.
Left-hander Dan Jennings replaced Pelfrey in the seventh. After a one-out single by Justin Smoak, Chris Beck replaced Jennings and walked Tulowitzki.
Dwight Smith Jr. singled up the middle to score Smoak, trimming the lead to 3-2. Tommy Kahnle replaced Beck and ended the inning when Goins grounded to shortstop to start a double play.
Ryan Tepera replaced Stroman in the eighth. He allowed a leadoff single to Alen Hanson, who was sacrificed to second by Melky Cabrera and took third when Abreu flied out to center. Avisail Garcia was walked intentionally and Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson made his second error of the game on a grounder by Frazier to restore Chicago's two-run advantage.
Kahnle pitched a perfect bottom of the eighth.
Toronto reliever Aaron Loup allowed a leadoff double in the ninth to Tim Anderson, who was sacrificed to third by Omar Narvaez. Anderson scored on a squeeze bunt by Yolmer Sanchez and took second when Loup threw wildly to first.
NOTES: White Sox CF Leury Garcia (sore left hand) missed his sixth successive start Saturday. INF/OF Alen Hanson took his place in center field for the second straight game Saturday. He was 3-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base Friday in his first game in center field. ... White Sox DH Matt Davidson was 1-for-5 with a double and three strikeouts Friday to end his home run streak at four straight games. He homered in the second inning Saturday and has extra-base hits in six straight games. ... OF Dwight Smith Jr. started in left field Saturday and INF/OF Steve Pearce, who hit a home run Friday on his return from the disabled list, was rested. ... Toronto LHP J.A. Happ (1-4, 4.31 ERA) will oppose Chicago RHP James Shields (1-0, 1.62 ER) in the series finale Sunday. Shields (strained right lat) has been on the DL since April 21.