CHICAGO — Runs were tough to come by for the Chicago White Sox in Game 1 of Thursday’s doubleheader against the Toronto Blue Jays.
So the team took a chance in the third inning of Game 2, as catcher Seby Zavala attempted to score from first on a double by Andrew Benintendi.
Zavala was thrown out at the plate for the first out of the inning. The Sox rebounded for three in the inning, highlighted by Eloy Jiménez’s two-run homer.
But they saw that lead slip away, falling 5-4 to the Blue Jays to complete a doubleheader sweep in front of 20,258 at Guaranteed Rate Field. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. broke a 4-4 tie with an RBI double in the seventh.
The Sox were swept in the three-game series and are a season-high 15 games under .500 (37-52).
“Keep playing hard,” manager Pedro Grifol said of his message to the team after the sweep. “The last 17 games we’ve lost (have been) within four runs or less. Just keep playing it. We’ve got a ton of games left. We’ve got to prepare ourselves every day and play baseball.”
The first run of Thursday’s opener didn’t come until the 11th. The Blue Jays broke through for six in that inning and beat the Sox 6-2.
Lance Lynn, whose name has come up in trade speculation, was fantastic for the Sox in Game 1, allowing one hit while striking out 11 in seven scoreless innings.
“One walk, but every pitch was pretty much where I wanted it to be for the most part,” Lynn said. “I was able to make pitches against some good hitters and kind of kept them off balance, moving in and out. I was able to pitch to my game plan.”
It was his best outing since matching the team record with 16 strikeouts against the Seattle Mariners on June 18 at T-Mobile Park.
Lynn is 5-8 and his 6.03 ERA is the second-highest among qualifying pitchers in the majors. But he’s also fifth in the majors with 127 strikeouts.
“It could have been a lot better,” Lynn said of his first half. “You look at some of the good games I’ve had and I’ve had some really bad ones too.
“All in all, if you look at ERA and wins and losses, it’s been the worst first half of my career. But I’m striking out guys at an elite pace, so I’ve just got to figure out how to make it start after start and keep building off of it and not have any more clunkers.”
Lynn was long gone when Game 1 was decided.
The game remained scoreless when the 11th began. Danny Jansen reached on an infield single — on a ball with an exit velocity of 68.4 mph — giving the Blue Jays runners on first and third with one out against reliever Aaron Bummer.
George Springer singled to center against the drawn-in infield, bringing home the first run. Bo Bichette had an RBI single that made its way between first baseman Andrew Vaughn and second baseman Elvis Andrus. Another run scored on a bunt single by Daulton Varsho.
Guerrero made it 4-0 with an RBI single. Cavan Biggio brought home two more with a double against Bryan Shaw.
Bummer was charged with five earned runs on five hits in one-third of an inning.
Sox pitchers combined for 17 strikeouts, but the offense couldn’t put together any rallies until the two runs in the bottom of the 11th.
“That’s going to happen to Bummer,” Grifol said. “Just because he’s a ground ball pitcher and they found some holes. Swinging bunt, ball between first and second. Sometimes it comes out of there right at you at our fielders. Our pitching was great.
“Obviously you’ve got to score. We had opportunities to do it, not early but late there. They did a good job doing it and we didn’t.”
The Sox were better but not good enough in Game 2. Grifol did not have an issue with the send in the third.
“Seby was three, four steps, maybe more than that, past the bag,” Grifol said. “It took a perfect throw from the outfield and a perfect throw from the infielder. I have no issues with that.
“I don’t like to play conservative baseball to where nobody out, hold him at third. If we think the guy is going to be safe, send him.”
The Sox led twice in Game 2 — 3-1 and 4-3 — but the Blue Jays tied it at 4 on Whit Merrifield’s second solo homer of the game in the sixth. They went ahead on Guerrero’s RBI double, sending the Sox into their deepest hole of the season with the All-Star break approaching.
“We can’t do anything about these two games here today or the game we played on Tuesday,” Grifol said. “We’ve got to let that go and get ready for St. Louis tomorrow.”
White Sox place Joe Kelly on IL
Before the doubleheader, the Sox placed reliever Joe Kelly on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. The move is retroactive to Wednesday.
Kelly is 1-4 with a 4.82 ERA, one save, 10 holds and 37 strikeouts in 29 relief appearances. He allowed a go-ahead two-run homer to Guerrero in the eighth inning of Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to the Blue Jays.
“He wasn’t feeling that good (after Tuesday’s game),” Grifol said before Thursday’s games. “We’ll have him back for the (New York) Mets series (which begins July 18).
“The only thing I can say is he’s going to rest up, regroup. There’s nothing really that’s alarming or concerning. He’s just going to take a break.”
Kelly, who was on the IL from April 9-24 with a right groin strain, had a 10-game scoreless streak from April 30-May 23.
“The last time he did this, he went four weeks without giving up a run,” Grifol said. “So I’m hoping that’s the case again.”
In the corresponding move, the Sox recalled pitcher Nick Padilla from Triple-A Charlotte. He allowed two runs with five strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings in two games during three previous stints with the Sox.
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