TORONTO (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette homered, helping José Berríos and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the lowly Chicago White Sox 7-1 on Saturday.
Berríos surrendered an unearned run and two hits in a season-high 7 2/3 innings. The right-hander struck out five and walked three in his first win since May 29.
The last-place White Sox finished with two hits in their ninth loss in 10 games. They dropped to 8-32 on the road this year.
Davis Schneider had two hits and three RBIs as Toronto bounced back nicely from Friday’s 7-1 loss in the series opener.
The crowd of 41,488 rose for a standing ovation when Berríos (3-3) exited after walking Ryan Noda. The lengthy start was a welcome one for a Toronto bullpen that used six relievers to cover seven innings Friday.
Ahead 1-0 on Bichette’s game-opening homer, Toronto used five singles to add three more runs in the second inning. George Springer scored on a throwing error by right fielder Austin Slater, and Nathan Lukes and Schneider each had run-scoring hits.
Chicago’s Miguel Vargas tripled and scored on Guerrero's throwing error in the top of the sixth, but the Blue Jays slugger restored Toronto’s four-run cushion with a two-out homer in the seventh, his 10th.
White Sox right-hander Aaron Civale (1-4) allowed five runs and nine hits in seven innings.
Key moment
Bichette went deep on Civale’s first pitch for his third leadoff homer this season and the sixth of his career.
Key stat
Bichette leads the Blue Jays with 11 home runs, including three in the past five games.
Up next
Right-hander Chris Bassitt (2-3, 3.81 ERA) is expected to start for the Blue Jays in Sunday’s series finale against White Sox right-hander Adrian Houser (2-2, 2.15 ERA).
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Ian Harrison, The Associated Press
