Toronto Blue Jays Hold on for 4-2 Victory Over Chicago White Sox

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Corey Patterson taps Jayson Nix on the
back after scoring the game-winning run 
Complete Team Effort as Jays Earn a Much Needed Win

The Toronto Blue Jays put together a solid team effort on Friday night to get back into the win column with a 4-2 victory over the visiting Chicago White Sox.
The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Jays (25-26) and evened the four-game series with the White Sox (24-29) to a game apiece.
Starting pitcher Kyle Drabek gave Toronto another solid outing on the mound while throwing a career-high 121 pitches and lasted into the seventh inning. He allowed both runs, but on just three hits while striking out three. Casey Janssen (2-0) came on in relief to earn the win while Jon Rauch nailed down his sixth save of the season.
On the offensive end, with the exception of Corey Patterson, every Jay got a hit while Yunel Escobar, Rajai Davis, Jose Molina and Juan Rivera contributed with an RBI each and combined for nine of the Jays 12 hits. Escobar and Rivera extended their hitting streaks to eight and nine games, respectively.
“Anytime you win it’s a good thing,” said Jays Manager John Farrell. “We’ve battled some situations. We’ve been on the threshold of couple of wins of late and yet have not finished them off. So the fact tonight we score some runs late, manufacture a couple of runs, caught a break on the base paths. A win is a good thing here tonight – we needed this one here for sure.”
Molina had a very productive game playing in the designated hitter role, finishing with two hits while also reaching base on an error and he even stole his first base of the season. The backup catcher’s RBI single in the eighth inning gave the Jays a much needed insurance run.
 “It’s always good to win a close game,” said Molina. We could have won more close games but that’s the way it goes sometimes. But we keep battling and today was a big example of that.”
With the game tied at two entering the bottom of the seventh inning, Molina hit a leadoff single to left-centre field. Jayson Nix then hit into a fielder’s choice with Molina out at second base. Escobar then scored Nix from first on a clutch double to centre field.
Patterson makes a big catch on the warning
track taking away an extra base hit

Drabek Improving
Drabek has shown that he can struggle with his command at times so far this season resulting in a high number of walks. This was the case again as he issued five walks on the evening and now leads the majors with 42. However, he when he did lose control he received timely help from his teammates for key outs.
“It’s definitely better,” said Drabek of his control. “The walk’s still there, I fought the walks. If Corey (Patterson) doesn’t make those two plays or Yunel (Escobar) doesn’t make that one play it could have gotten worse.”
“I came in and noticed I had over a hundred and he (Farrell) told me to stay there and keep going. I was a little surprised but I was happy to be able to go back out there.”
Despite his lack of control at times this season, Drabek has shown the ability to get out tough situations with minimal damage – something that many major league pitchers struggle with.

Starting pitchter Kyle Drabek delivers a pitch
on Friday evening

“That’s something you can’t teach which allows him to get out of those situations,” added Farrell. “We’ve talked about this repeatedly is that the competitiveness and the ability to fight through difficult spots, whether it’s self created or otherwise, to me it’s the trademark of a winner. He’s got the ability to win and he’s got the tenacity to pitch through tight spots, avoiding a crooked number.”

White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle (4-4) had a decent effort but took the loss in what was a tight baseball game. He lasted 7.0 innings giving up three runs, nine hits, and two walks while striking out three batters.
The Jays already depleted roster took another hit as infielder John McDonald was placed on the 15-day disabled list following last night’s game. McDonald has a right hamstring strain and has been bothered by it over the past couple of weeks. Toronto called up infielder Mike McCoy from Las Vegas (AAA) to take his place on the 25-man roster.
Both teams will continue their four-game set in game three tomorrow afternoon at 1:07pm at the Rogers Centre. In a battle of right-handed pitchers, Carlos Villanueva (2-0, 1.53) will start his second game of the season against Chicago’s Edwin Jackson (4-5, 4.26).
 
 
Blue Jays celebrate a much needed victory over the White Sox  
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