TORONTO — Prior to Thursday afternoon’s series finale, White Sox hitting coach Frank Menechino said he didn’t like what he’d been seeing from his offense. Hitters were chasing too much and not attacking the right pitches, resulting in high strikeout rates and low power production.
In saying that, Menechino acknowledged the “day to day” nature of offensive output. Things can change quickly, and they sure did for the White Sox in a 10-7 win over the Blue Jays to split the four-game set at Rogers Centre.
Chicago homered three times in the early innings, chasing Toronto starter Hyun Jin Ryu and racing to a 7-1 lead. Among the White Sox 30 hits in the first three games of the series, only three went for extra bases. They saved their fireworks for the finale.
Cèsar Hernández got the show started by homering in the second inning on a ball that just crept over the left-field wall. In the third, Luis Robert and José Abreu hit back-to-back blasts to give the White Sox the lead for good. In the process, Abreu added to his league-leading RBI total (now 97), while Robert kept up his post-injury hot streak (1.015 OPS in his last 12 games and reached safely in 11).
“I think it was mandatory that we wanted to go out and whoop ‘em,” said Tim Anderson, who had three hits. “You see how we jumped out on them. It was mandatory to get a win.”
For the first time since Aug. 7, Carlos Rodón was back on the bump, and he turned in a respectable five innings of two-run ball on 67 pitches to earn his 10th win. Rodón gave up a solo shot in the opening frame, and the Blue Jays strung together a few hits during a uniquely rain-soaked fifth (as the Rogers Centre roof closed slowly), but he sandwiched three scoreless innings between that.
“He looked in the form he’s been in every start this year,” manager Tony La Russa said. “Very encouraging. Can’t wait to send him back out there.”
Given that Rodón was sidelined with left shoulder fatigue, his fastball velocity was of particular interest. His average velocity was a tick below normal (94.9 mph instead of 95.8), but in one start, that’s no cause for concern. And Rodón’s final fastball of the afternoon was his hardest: 97.3 mph.
“The pitch count’s going to build itself,” Rodón said. “I’m not really worried about that. I just want to compete. Go out there and compete, and throw the ball well.”
With three off-days scheduled in an eight-day period following this weekend’s home series against the Cubs, Rodón will gain extra rest as he works his way back to full health.
After gauntlet, foot must stay on the gas
As they departed Toronto, the White Sox closed the book on a grueling four-series stretch against some of the American League’s finest clubs: Yankees, Athletics, Rays and Blue Jays.
Chicago went 7-7 in those games, and La Russa believed his team competed well in 13 (save for a 9-0 road loss vs. Tampa Bay).
Now, a softer schedule awaits: the Cubs, Pirates and Royals are on tap, and their combined winning percentage is .414.
Obviously, the White Sox are operating with October expectations. But about five weeks of the season remain, and they’ll have to go after the weaker teams with the same vigor as they showed during these past two weeks.
“When you have an ‘X’ on your back and you’re a playoff team, everybody wants to beat you,” Menechino said. “So every game is a playoff game, [and] you’ve got to come prepared every day to go out there, whether it’s a World Series game, a playoff game or a game against a non-contender. You have to go out there every day and do your job the way you’re supposed to.”
