Blue Jays Swept by White Sox in Shutout: Gibbons Ejected

For the first time since September 13th of 2015 the Toronto Blue Jays found themselves shut out.  Marco Estrada pitched an excellent game; however, so did Jose Quintana of the White Sox and the Jays found themselves unable to score against him and the shut-down White Sox bullpen.

Estrada pitched six scoreless innings before giving up two runs in the seventh.  He walked four, struck out five and only allowed three hits.  Three runs would be charged to Estrada after former Blue Jay Dioner Navarro tripled in the seventh and Jesse Chavez, who entered in relief of Estrada,  allowed Austin Jackson to triple and Navarro to score.

Quintana pitched a shutdown game going six innings, allowing only four hits, three walks and recording ten strikeouts.  The White Sox bullpen of Zach Duke, Nate Jones, and David Robertson kept the Blue Jays’ bats quiet, saving the shut-out Quintana pitched.

The Jays’ bullpen was not as effective.  Jesse Chavez came in to relieve Estrada in the seventh and allowed an inherited run to score.  Ryan Tepera made his season debut out of the pen in the eighth and allowed a walk, three singles and one R un to score.  Gavin Floyd entered the game in the ninth and threw up a zero.

Jose Bautista’s bat was silenced as he struck out three times and remained hitless.  The rest of the team followed Bautista’s lead with only Kevin Pillar, Josh Donaldson and Ryan Goins recording hits.  Donaldson managed a double and a single and Pillar and Goins both singled.

For the White Sox, Austin Jackson doubled and tripled going 2-for-3.  Navarro may have had a good game with his triple; however, former Blue Jay Brett Lawrie was met with a chorus of “booos” from the home crowd that he used to play in front of.  This may have had something to do with the fact that Lawrie was seen in replay’s blocking Jose Bautista’s slide into second base in Tuesday’s game.

The strike zone was a problem with both teams all night, and Blue Jay’s Manager John Gibbons was ejected in the seventh inning by the home plate umpire.

Ryan Goins fouled a ball off of his foot in the third inning; and although he was down on the ground for quite some time, he continued playing and it doesn’t seem like there is any lasting damage.  Marco Estrada also showed signs of discomfort, rubbing his shoulder in between pitches and talking to the head trainer and pitching coach in between the fifth and sixth inning.  However; he pitched into the seventh and hopefully whatever was bothering him won’t be a lasting problem.

Aaron Sanchez (3.33 ERA) is set to face Drew Smyly (2.51 ERA) on Friday April 29th, in Tampa Bay after the off day tomorrow.  Hopefully, a day off and a change of scenery can break the Jays’ bats out of their slump.  I’m sure Roberto Osuna is itching to get up and throw an inning or two!