|
 Samardzija dominated the Blue Jays (44-44) in the finale of a
four-game series to give the White Sox (39-44) the series win and
their seventh victory in the past nine games.
Samardzija (6-4) struck out five, walked one and allowed just four
hits. In his previous start, Samardzija took a no-decision July 4
against the Baltimore Orioles despite allowing one run in 7 2/3
innings. Chicago's bullpen cost him the chance to get the win in
that one, but the White Sox still won.
This time, Samardzija took care of business himself, throwing 108
pitches.
Again protecting a 2-0 lead, the same margin he held starting the
eighth against Baltimore, Samardzija retired the Blue Jays in order
in the eighth -- smiling as he left the field following shortstop
Gordon Beckham's great play for the third out. He got third baseman
Josh Donaldson to ground into a double play in the ninth and ended
the game by striking out left fielder Jose Bautista.
Right-hander R.A. Dickey (3-10) started for Toronto and took the
loss despite allowing only two runs in seven innings.
Center fielder Adam Eaton, who won a game for Chicago on Wednesday
with a walk-off homer in the 11th inning, played another key role
Thursday. Eaton tripled and scored the game's first run in Chicago's
two-run sixth inning.
Left fielder Melky Cabrera (1-for-4) hit a solo homer for the second
run off Dickey in the sixth.
Samardzija was the story of the game, though.
In his previous start, he began the game by throwing 5 2/3 hitless
innings. He didn't allow a hit through 5 1/3 innings against the
Blue Jays, whom he also held to one unearned run in seven innings
May 27 in a no-decision at Toronto's Rogers Centre.
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It was just the second time in 34 career starts that Samardzija has
won while getting two or fewer runs of support.
NOTES: White Sox SS Alexei Ramirez fouled a ball off his left foot
Wednesday and had it X-rayed Thursday before the game. Results were
unavailable before the game. Ramirez was replaced by INF Gordon
Beckham, who had played third base in the previous two games. ...
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons didn't start SS Jose Reyes, DH Edwin
Encarnacion or 1B Chris Colabello, who all played in the 11-inning
loss to the White Sox that ended late Wednesday night. Starting
instead were SS Ryan Goins, 1B Justin Smoak and DH Dioner Navarro.
... Despite LF Melky Cabrera being hot at the plate, White Sox
manager Robin Ventura doesn't plan to flip-flop Cabrera and 1B/DH
Jose Abreu in the batting order. Abreu has been hitting well in the
second slot, where he gets more at-bats, while Cabrera is doing well
hitting third.
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