Blue Jays-White Sox preview
TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays could again be catching the Chicago White Sox when they are hot. The teams meet for the second time this season in a three-game series starting Friday at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago. The Blue Jays start right-hander Aaron Sanchez (7-1, 3.35 ERA) against White Sox left-hander Carlos Rodon (2-6, 4.16 ERA). The first time they met, the White Sox swept the Blue Jays in a three-game series at Rogers Centre from April 25-27 and outscored them 21-6. The White Sox were surging at the time. The sweep of the Blue Jays gave them a 16-6 record. Chicago has a 20-31 record since but showed signs of revival by taking three of four games from the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Boston salvaged one game with an 8-7 win in 10 innings Thursday, while the Blue Jays enjoyed their second day off of the week. "Winning three out of four is pretty good, so get excited about that," White Sox outfielder Adam Eaton said. "You've got to be happy taking three out of four from a good ballclub like that." The Blue Jays fell to 10-13 after being swept by the White Sox in April and are 30-21 since. By winning the series against the Red Sox, the White Sox did the Blue Jays a favor. Boston and Toronto are American League East rivals. The White Sox players also showed something to their manager Robin Ventura. "They just continue to grind," Ventura said after they won their third in a row Wednesday. "You can sit there and feel sorry for yourself, and it's not going to get you anywhere. You take the abuse and everything else of what that record did to you (after a 23-10 start), but they've weathered it. They're getting a little momentum back and a little of the spark we had early." The White Sox on Friday start a run of 12 of 15 games at home that will lead them into the All-Star break. The availability of White Sox closer David Robertson might be in question after he appeared Thursday -- his fourth appearance in the past five games. He sat out only Wednesday's game. Edwin Encarnacion hit his 19th homer of the season in the Blue Jays' 5-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday and entered Thursday leading the majors with 62 RBIs with 22 coming in June. He is hitting .303/.440/.758 with nine home runs in June. "I feel good right now," Encarnacion said. "It's impressive but I just feel good at the plate right now." Troy Tulowitzki and Russell Martin also homered Wednesday as they begin to come around after slow starts. Tulowitzki has hit two homers since coming off the disabled list Saturday, a day after Jose Bautista -- a key hitter in the lineup -- went on the DL with turf toe. "You've got to have guys step up," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "Eddie's just doing his normal thing, you can't ask for anything more. He does enough as it is. No doubt it's a big hole (losing Bautista), he's one of the better players in the game, but you've got to overcome that, and all it means is it's an opportunity for someone else. "When guys start thinking, 'I've got to do a little bit more to cover up for this,' it doesn't work. The game's tough enough as it is. It's added pressure and you don't need that. Guys have been stepping up." Sanchez makes his first career start against the White Sox. In two relief appearances against them, he has allowed one hit while striking out two in 2 2/3 innings. Rodon is facing the Blue Jays for the first time. |