Lucas Giolito and two home runs power a 5-1 win over the Blue Jays

White Sox finish their road trip 4-3

Happy Mother’s Day and happy Chicago White Sox win day! Our friend Ryan was called into work, so I have the recap of today’s 5-1 winner!

This ballgame did not start in favor of the Sox, as Lucas Giolito had a hard time finding his stuff and locating his pitches. The Toronto Blue Jays took advantage with a leadoff single by Freddy Galvis, followed by a double off of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s bat. With ducks on the pond and nobody out, Justin Smoak lined out to José Abreu, but Rowdy Tellez singled home Galvis. The Blue Jays went up 1-0, but Giolito escaped the first without any further damage.

As for Aaron Sanchez, he was basically untouchable for the first three innings. He struck out the side in the second, and Tim Anderson was the only player with a hit off of Sanchez during the first go of the order.

Luckily, the drought did not last the second time through the order. The Good Guys had all nine hitters come to the plate in the fourth inning. Yoán Moncada started the inning with a fly out to left, but the one-out offense came alive. Abreu singled up the middle, and Yonder Alonso homered to center field.

Alonso was 2-for-4 on the day, so let’s see if he can put his slow start behind him.

James McCann and Charlie Tilson followed with singles of their own. Anderson stepped up to the plate, and launched a three-run home run to center field.

Ryan Cordell was hit by a pitch and stole a bag during this inning of fireworks. Yolmer Sánchez grounded out before Cordell’s at bat; José Rondón, who replaced Leury García, ended the inning with a strikeout.

García suffered a back injury after making a magnificent catch in center field during the bottom of the third inning. He robbed Justin Smoak of an extra-base hit, but as a result, he crashed into the outfield wall. He remained in the game defensively, but Rondón took over later on.

Giolito found his stuff and located his pitches after the first inning. Lucas had another masterful performance, going seven innings, gave up one run, struck out eight, and he only issued one (!) walk. Of course, his defense helped him out in the sixth inning, when Charlie Tilson bellyflopped into an out in center field. It was no Willie Mays basket catch:

Ryan Burr and Aaron Bummer pitched the eighth and ninth innings, combining for zero hits, zero runs, zero (!) walks, and two strikeouts.

As for the Blue Jays and their pitching staff, Sanchez didn’t give up any more runs after his disastrous fourth inning. But the hits kept coming. James McGOAT went 2-for-4, Anderson went 3-for-4, and Tilson and Rondón both collected a hit.

Sanchez was pulled after six innings, but his relievers gave up nothing. Daniel Hudson, Tim Mayza, and Joe Biagini pitched one full inning to close it out, combining for one hit, zero runs, zero walks, and five strikeouts. The Sox sure are lucky that they got to Sanchez when they did because, the Good Guys ended up striking out 17 times in the game.

Once again, Giolito continues to impress and improve. Without having his best pitching early on, he honed in and went to work. Giolito rises to four wins on the year, and all four of those wins come from the road. His ERA drops from 4.06 to 3.55. Lucas is really becoming the ace of the staff, and I am here for it.

Giolito’s battery mate, James McClutch, continues to be the everything catcher.

Please change that stat to 13-8, Kamka! McCann has really come into his offensive self, and even though he has always been a good defensive catcher, he is improving and becoming better each and every day. I’m also so here for that!

The White Sox take the series from the Blue Jays, 2-1. Anderson increased his fun score to two, with his second home run in the series. Randal Grichuk, on the other hand, kept his no-fun score stagnant at zero when he flew out to center field to end this afternoon’s game.

The White Sox dance to a 4-3 overall road trip! The Boys in Black will be back in Chicago for a two-game series against Cleveland starting tomorrow. Reynaldo López (2-4 and a 6.38 ERA) will rival Shane Bieber (2-1 and a 3.32 ERA) once again. It’s a 7:10 p.m. CT game; NBC Sports Chicago will be televising it, WGN-AM will have it provided via radio, and Darren Jackson will have your South Side Sox coverage.

With that said, you guys know what time it is! Insert the sunglasses emoji!

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