Blue Jays bounce back from Motown misery to defeat White Sox

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At the rate the Blue Jays have been going, nothing is ever guaranteed — even when playing the host Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.

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Then again, any game against the worst team in the bigs should be viewed as a guaranteed win.

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In White Sox starter Nick Nastrini, the Jays were facing the same right-hander who they lit up at home last week when Toronto won its first series in a month.

In Chris Bassitt, who was drafted and played for the South Siders, the Jays had a veteran on the mound coming off a solid start (he went seven scoreless innings against the White Sox last Wednesday.)

The Jays needed a win after a miserable weekend in the Motor City.

A 5-1 victory over the White Sox on Memorial Day wasn’t worthy of popping champagne bottles, but it was refreshing nonetheless for a beleaguered ball club.

It all lined up against Nastrini, who gave up a home run to Bo Bichette last week when the Jays brought back a revised look of the home run jacket during their 9-2 win.

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Bichette took Nastrini deep again Monday in the fourth inning as the Jays took a 3-0 lead on two hits, each going yard.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa produced the Jays’ third hit on a two-out line drive into left field that went for a double as he extended his hit streak to six, a stretch that has seen IKF record 10 hits, including five for extra bases.

Bassitt worked his way through a couple of jams to give his team five shutout innings.

He looked to be in pain for someone who was nursing neck issues last week when he opposed Nastrini at Rogers Centre.

Still, Bassitt struck out seven without issuing a free pass.

Keep in mind the White Sox are the 30th-ranked offence in a 30-team league.

Once Bassitt’s day ended, the Jays received solid pitching from Nate Pearson, who hasn’t been solid.

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The big righty gave the Jays two scoreless innings.

Then came Erik Swanson, who looked to have turned a corner until he surrendered a leadoff homer in the eighth inning.

A very long out deep into centrefield to the next hitter didn’t inspire much confidence.

A single forced another pitching change as Zach Pop was summoned from the bullpen.

Suddenly, Chicago had the tying runner at the plate.

And then the game turned interesting when Pop gave up a two-out single as two runners were on base.

Pop induced a fly ball to right field to end the inning.

The Jays were able to exhale when Davis Schneider turned on a pitch with two outs in the ninth inning for a two-run homer as much-required add-on runs were produced.

Genesis Cabrera began the ninth by putting the first two hitters on base.

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A double play eased any potential anxiety followed by a game-ending groundout.

The Jays at least give themselves a shot of a sweep, which would be a first for a team that hasn’t been swept or produced a sweep.

For what it’s worth, the Jays remain the lone team in the bigs to experience neither.

SEVEN-CARD STUD

It marked a first for George Springer when his name appeared in the starting lineup in the No. 7 hole, a career-leadoff hitter whose struggles at the plate have forced the Jays to move the veteran down in the order.

He wasn’t in the lineup Sunday at Comerica Park where the Jays lost a 14-11 heartbreaker to the Detroit Tigers on a three-run walk-off homer in the ninth.

One day later, Springer turned on the first pitch he saw in his first at-bat in the second inning and deposited into the sparse seats deep in left field.

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With two outs, Daulton Varsho, who went deep in Detroit during a five-run eighth inning to give Toronto an 11-9 edge, drew a walk before Springer’s belt.

Springer’s long ball was his fourth of the season and first since April 24, a 22-game homerless span.

In the opening series against the host Tampa Bay Rays, Springer went deep on back-to-back days to begin the season.

In Springer’s second at-bat against Nastrini, once again he swung on the first pitch.

This time he popped out in foul territory.

FOUR THE RECORD

Bichette’s blast was his fourth home run of the season.

An inning later, a fielding error provided the White Sox with their second scoring opportunity against Bassitt.

For Bichette, it was his fourth error of the season.

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He committed two in the second game of the season on April 29 against the Rays.

Bichette didn’t make his second gaffe until May 5.

Speaking of the number four, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. produced a four-hit game Sunday.

On Monday with the Jays having runners at the corner in the sixth, Vlad Jr. hit into an inning-ending double play.

Through eight innings, the Jays had four hits, including three from the bottom of the order.

The fifth hit came in the ninth inning on a Springer leadoff single.

In total, six were recorded, but half went yard.

Springer’s multi-hit game was his first since April 24.

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COACH’S FURY

Toronto’s restless fanbase, whose patience with the overpaid and underachieving club is increasingly growing thinner by the day, might want to take a look at the woeful White Sox and the plight of the South Siders.

Chicago entered its series opener against the Blue Jays having lost five in a row, the most recent on Sunday in a 4-1 loss to the Orioles on a day when Garrett Crochet, who was lights out last week at Rogers Centre in a win, pitched well.

What stood out from the loss to Baltimore involved White Sox manager Pedro Grifol and his post-game availability when he pulled no punch after he held a closed-door meeting.

He described his team’s effort as “f—ing flat” and suggested the team had disrespected the game.

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“I don’t have much. Crochet pitched his (tail) off … Most of the guys were (effing) flat. Unacceptable. That’s all I got. Flat. Period. Major League game. Gotta respect it. Pretty simple.”

As bad as the Blue Jays have played, whether it’s a listless lineup, a porous pen, a poor outing by a starter, nothing compares to what the Pale Hose have endured and figure to endure in their march to recording the worst season in club history.

The Jays arrived in Chi-town a season-low six games under .500.

“For the fanbase and for everyone who is not here, as cliche as it sounds, there’s a reason we play this many games,’’ said Jays manager John Schneider during his pre-game availability. “You can say that it’s May or you can say that our season’s over.

“The guys aren’t doing that. I’m not doing that.”

fzicarelli@postmedia.com

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