The first two games of this weekend’s White Sox/Jays series featured quality starting pitching, bad defense, and very little offense. Saturday’s matinee was the complete opposite.
The Jays (26-26) got off to a hot start against Edwin Jackson and the Sox (24-30). After a leadoff walk and a single, Jose Bautista hit a three run homer, his league leading 20th, to put the Jays on top. The Sox battled back and tied the game, and it was a back and forth contest most of the game.
Neither starting pitcher had a real good outing. Jackson went six and two thirds allowing six runs on nine hits. Toronto starter Carlos Villanueva went five innings and allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits. Both pitchers were long gone when this game ended and neither figured in the decision.
The Sox had a chance to take the lead in the 11th. Brent Morel lead off with a double and was moved to third after a sacrifice bunt by Juan Pierre. Alexei Ramirez then walked which put runners on first and third with one out and the heart of the order coming up. That would be as far as the runners would get though. Adam Dunn popped up to second base and Carlos Quentin flied out to right field.
Corey Patterson lead off the bottom of the 14th with a solo home run off Gavin Floyd to win the game. Floyd entered the game in relief in the 13th inning. The right hander fell to 5-5 on the season.
Luis Perez was fantastic in relief for the Jays. Perez went 3 and two thirds allowing no runs on just two hits and earned his first victory of the season.
The Sox will look to even up the series in the finale on Sunday afternoon.