Sinking White Sox swept by Blue Jays in second straight shutout loss
TORONTO (AP) — Yusei Kikuchi struck out eight batters over 5 2/3 innings, Bo Bichette hit a solo home run and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the slumping White Sox 8-0 on Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep, extending Chicago's losing streak to seven.
Blue Jays outfielder George Springer left in the fourth, one inning after he was hit on the right hand by a pitch from White Sox right-hander Michael Kopech (0-3). X-rays did not reveal a fracture.
Cavan Biggio pinch hit for Springer but struck out to strand two runners.
Chicago has lost nine of 10 and 15 of 18. Things aren't getting any easier for the White Sox, who host MLB-leading Tampa Bay in a four-game series beginning Thursday.
Kikuchi (4-0) allowed four hits, all singles, and walked one in his third straight winning start. The left-hander has pitched at least six innings in all three of those victories. He has allowed more than one earned run only once in five starts in 2023.
Erik Swanson struck out all four batters he faced, Yimi Garcia worked the eighth and Trevor Richards finished the four-hitter.
Chicago was blanked for the second-straight game and third time this season. The White Sox have three runs and 14 hits in their last four games.
Ten of the final 11 White Sox batters struck out, including Eloy Jiménez, who fanned four times.
Bichette went 3 for 4 with three RBI and scored twice. He hit a first-pitch homer off Jimmy Lambert in the seventh, his fifth.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had two doubles and two RBI as Toronto swept Chicago north of the border for the second straight season. The Blue Jays have won six of eight and 15 of 21.
White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr., who came in 1 for 21 on the road trip, hit a two-out single in the first but was thrown out at second after sliding past the bag.
Kikuchi retired nine of the next 10 batters.
Toronto opened the scoring with a two-out rally in the third. Bichette hit an RBI single and Guerrero followed with a two-run double.
Espinal made it 4-0 with a two-out RBI single in the fourth.
Kopech allowed four runs and six hits in five innings.
TRAINER'S ROOM
White Sox: Manager Pedro Grifol said C Yasmani Grandal was available off the bench. Grandal left Tuesday's game in the seventh because of a sore lower back.
Blue Jays: Espinal had three hits in his return to the lineup after missing the past three games. Espinal left in the second inning of Saturday's road loss to the Yankees after he was hit on the right wrist by a pitch.
UP NEXT
White Sox: RHP Dylan Cease (2-0, 2.73) starts Thursday as Chicago returns home for a four-game series against the Rays. Tampa Bay has not named a starter.
Blue Jays: RHP Alek Manoah (1-1, 5.13) starts Friday as Toronto opens a three-game series against Seattle, who swept the Blue Jays out of the wild card round last October. The Mariners have not named a starter.
