Chicago White Sox end 8-game skid with 7-1 rout behind home runs from Andrew Benintendi and Luis Robert Jr.

Chicago Tribune

21-06-2025

TORONTO — The Chicago White Sox used the long ball to bring their eight-game losing streak to an emphatic end.
Andrew Benintendi and Luis Robert Jr. hit tape-measure home runs in a 7-1 victory against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday at Rogers Centre.
'We did a good job collectively of controlling the zone,' manager Will Venable said. 'It was a full team commitment offensively to shrink the zone, and we didn't miss our pitches.'
Benintendi blasted a 425-foot solo home run to right field against Blue Jays starter Spencer Turnbull in the first inning. It had an exit velocity of 108.3 mph.
'We want to be aggressive and he clipped that ball pretty good,' Venable said. 'Really did a good job of setting the tone for the group and the rest of the guys followed. Love the damage there.'
Robert crushed a 441-foot, two-run home run to left field against reliever Mason Fluharty during a four-run third inning. It had an exit velocity of 114.2 mph.
Robert is 9-for-33 (.273) with two home runs, two doubles and six RBIs in his last 10 games.
'He looked good here, has the last couple of days,' Venable said. 'Really staying through the baseball, swinging at good pitches. And you see the result today. You get excited when you see Luis do damage like that.'
Austin Slater and Benintendi collected RBI singles in the second inning, and Josh Rojas knocked in two with a double in the third in the runaway win in front of 36,121.
The Sox (24-52) used five pitchers in a bullpen game after placing scheduled starter Davis Martin on the injured list on Friday with a right forearm strain. Grant Taylor displayed his blazing fastball during a 1-2-3 first inning in his first major-league start.
'He pounded the zone with a plus fastball,' Venable said. 'For me, if you can throw 100 (mph), use that thing and see what you've got. And he did that tonight.'
After two groundouts, Taylor ended the inning striking out Vladimir Guerrero Jr. swinging on a 99.2-mph high fastball.
'The big takeaway was that (Guerrero) at-bat — four heaters, three up top of the zone, got some swing and miss,' Taylor said. 'Was really excited about that.'
Tyler Alexander earned the win in the bulk role, allowing four hits and striking out two during four scoreless innings. He induced ending-inning double plays in the fourth and fifth innings — the second of which erased a bases-loaded situation.
'We had a mound visit, talked through what we wanted to do (facing Tyler Heineman with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth),' Alexander said. 'Fortunately he put the ball on the ground early. That helped. The (Guerrero) double play (in the fourth), huge. Well-executed pitches and got weak contact.'
Venable said Alexander's outing was 'amazing.'
'He continues to pitch crucial innings for us where he's attacking the zone,' Venable said. 'He's fearless too.'
Wikelman González allowed one run on one hit with two strikeouts and two walks in his major-league debut. The right-hander, called up Friday from Triple-A Charlotte, struck out Ernie Clement swinging for his first MLB punchout to end the seventh inning.
He got Guerrero to line out to Benintendi in left field with two on for the final out of the eighth.
'It was a little exciting to face one of the best hitters in the world, but I trusted my stuff and I'm glad I got him out,' González said through an interpreter.
After several close losses during the skid, the Sox clicked across the board to return to the win column.
'They did a great job in every phase of the game,' Venable said. 'Pitching was outstanding, we pounded the zone all night. Defense was great, (Lenyn) Sosa made some great plays (at second base). … Really good stuff all over the field.
'These guys have been working so hard and to have it on a game like that where everyone contributed, everyone played well, it's really nice to see.'