Toronto Blue Jays shifting their focus on the Cleveland Guardians after series loss to lowly White Sox
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The Toronto Blue Jays are putting the disappointing series loss to the Chicago White Sox in the rearview and are looking at the road ahead towards Cleveland.
Chris Bassitt pieced together a terrific outing on Sunday afternoon at the Rogers Centre. Six innings of three-hit pitching, allowing one run, while striking out seven.
However the Blue Jays bullpen couldn't keep in step, giving up three runs in the eighth inning as the Chisox took the game, 4-2, and the series.
A day earlier, Berrios went 7.2 innings when the Jays' bats were humming en route to a 7-1 win.
There was no such offensive support for Bassitt, who left with the teams tied 1-1 in what turned out to be, by far, the most competitive game of the series.
It also turned into a nightmare for Jays closer Jeff Hoffman, whose two-out fielding error in the eighth inning proved costly, allowing the tying run to cross the plate.
Summoned in the eighth to face right-hander Chase Meidroth with two out and two on, Hoffman walked the Chicago leadoff batter to load the bases.
Andrew Benintendi then hit a dribbler toward first base and it appeared the Jays had gotten out of the jam.
But Hoffman misplayed it, attempting an underhand scoop before securing the baseball. Austin Slater, who led off the frame with a walk off Brendon Little, scampered home to make it 2-2.
Miguel Vargas then hit a soft line-drive double down the left-field line to tack on two more Chisox runs.
Bassitt, who was drafted by the White Sox, deserved better on a day he would earn a no-decision.
He was perfect the first time through Chicago's order, but gave up his lone run in the fourth on two singles, a walk and a ground ball out that was too softly hit for the Jays to turn into an inning-ending double play.
In the end, it's a series loss for the Jays, who now head off to Cleveland for an off day Monday before the series opener against the Guardians gets under way Tuesday.
«Not great, not a great ending (Sunday),'' began manager John Schneider when sizing up the series against a team that came into the Rogers Centre riding an eight-game losing streak. «I thought we played our style of game.
«Looking back, three bad innings to start the series (featuring Spencer Turnbull in his first start with the Blue Jays) puts you in a hole It's on to Cleveland and that's it.»
On Wednesday, the game will feature the return of veteran Max Scherzer, Bassitt's teammate with the New York Mets.
Prior to Sunday's game, Scherzer told the media of his intention to pitch Wednesday, marking the first time he will appear for the Blue Jays since his aborted debut way back in the season-series opener against visiting Baltimore.
«He's ready to go,'' said Schneider, who has been dealing with a four-man rotation since Scherzer's hand setback.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 22 | 244 ANSWERS Toronto Blue Jays shifting their focus on the Cleveland Guardians after series loss to lowly White Sox Do you think the Blue Jays will turn it around against the Cleveland Guardians? | ||
| Yes | 186 | 76.2 % |
| No | 58 | 23.8 % |
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