CHICAGO (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. stepped to the plate looking for a pitch up in the zone that he could drive. He got a high slider and parked it in a party deck.
Guerrero hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Chicago White Sox 4-3 on Tuesday night.
“Especially late in the game, I kind of mentally prepare myself even more just in case a big moment like tonight happens,” Guerrero said. “That’s what I do.”
Guerrero singled and scored in a two-run fourth. But his biggest hit came just in time for the Blue Jays.
He gave Toronto a 4-3 lead when he connected against Joe Kelly (1-4) after Brandon Belt led off the eighth with a walk. The three-time All-Star went the opposite way on a 2-1 pitch, driving it out to right for his 13th home run.
“That’s part of his game, for sure,” manager John Schneider said. “I’ve always said he’s a good hitter before a good power hitter. But if he’s getting pitches that he can do damage on, he’s gonna do just that.”
All-Star Whit Merrifield had two hits and two RBIs, and the Blue Jays got back to winning coming off a three-game sweep by Boston.
White Sox All-Star Luis Robert Jr. made it 3-2 in the sixth with a long three-run drive against Chris Bassitt for his 25th homer. But Chicago lost again after dropping two of three at struggling Oakland.
Bassitt threw six innings, allowing three runs and six hits.
Nate Pearson (5-1) worked the seventh. Erik Swanson pitched around a triple by Tim Anderson in the eighth.
Jordan Romano pitched the ninth for his 25th save in 28 chances, and the Blue Jays came away with a tight win after pounding Chicago 20-2 in a three-game sweep at Toronto in April.
Toronto took a 2-0 lead on Merrifield’s two-run, bases-loaded double in the fourth against Lucas Giolito.
ROBERT CONNECTS
Bassitt breezed through the first five innings before the White Sox got to him for three runs in the sixth. He gave up back-to-back singles to Andrew Benintendi and Tim Anderson with one out in the sixth. Robert then put Chicago on top 3-2 when he drove an 0-1 pitch about halfway up the left-field seats for his 25th homer.
“If he swings at strikes, balls are going to go a long way,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “And he’s swinging at strikes. He’s having some really good at-bats, taking really good pitches. This is who he is. This is not like, oh he’s on a hot streak, this is who he is.”
COLAS BACK
Top prospect Oscar Colás had a bunt single after being recalled from triple-A Charlotte. The 24-year-old Cuban made the opening day roster, only to get sent down after struggling.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: RF George Springer got shaken up chasing a foul by Jake Burger when the ball ricocheted off the screen and hit him in the cheek, though he stayed in the game. … RHP Chad Green threw 30 pitches in live batting practice on Tuesday. … The Blue Jays hope to have RHP Adam Cimber (right shoulder impingement) throwing off the mound in the next few days.
White Sox: White Sox RHP Michael Kopech (right shoulder inflammation) remains on course to return soon after the All-Star break, GM Rick Hahn said. The team planned to give him some extra rest, but decided to put him on the 15-day injured list after a loss to the Los Angeles Angels last week.
UP NEXT
Toronto RHP José Berríos (8-6, 3.74) looks to continue his dominance over Chicago, while RHP Lance Lynn (5-8, 6.47) gets the ball for the White Sox. Berrios is 13-6 with a 3.26 ERA in 23 starts against the White Sox and tossed seven scoreless innings in a win at home on April 25.
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DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings made another investment this week in a young standout, signing Moritz Seider to a seven-year contract worth nearly $60 million.
The Red Wings announced the move with the 23-year-old German defenseman on Thursday, three days after keeping 22-year-old forward Lucas Raymond with a $64.6 million, eight-year deal.
Detroit drafted Seider with the No. 6 pick overall eight years ago and he has proven to be a great pick. He has 134 career points, the most by a defenseman drafted in 2019.
He was the NHL’s only player to have at least 200 hits and block 200-plus shots last season, when he scored a career-high nine goals and had 42 points for the second straight year.
Seider won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2022 after he had a career-high 50 points.
Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is banking on Seider, whose contract will count $8.55 million annually against the cap, and Raymond to turn a rebuilding team into a winner.
Detroit has failed to make the playoffs in eight straight seasons, the longest postseason drought in franchise history.
The Red Wings, who won four Stanley Cups from 1997 to 2008, have been reeling since their run of 25 straight postseasons ended in 2016.
Detroit was 41-32-9 last season and finished with a winning record for the first time since its last playoff appearance.
Yzerman re-signed Patrick Kane last summer and signed some free agents, including Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million after he helped the Florida Panthers hoist the Cup.
PENTICTON, B.C. – Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko says he’s been working his way back from a rare lower-body muscle injury since being sidelined in last season’s playoffs.
The 28-year-old all star says the rehabilitation process has been frustrating, but he has made good progress in recent weeks and is confident he’ll be able to return to playing.
He says he and his medical team have spent the last few months talking to specialists around the world, and have not found a single other hockey player who has dealt with the same injury.
Demko missed several weeks of the last season with a knee ailment and played just one game in Vancouver’s playoff run last spring before going down with the current injury.
He was not on the ice with his teammates as the Canucks started training camp in Penticton, B.C., on Thursday, but skated on his own before the sessions began.
Demko posted a 35-14-2 record with a .918 percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts for Vancouver last season.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — No. 1 Texas will start Arch Manning at quarterback Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe while regular starter Quinn Ewers continues to recover from a strained muscle in his abdomen, coach Steve Sarkisian said Thursday.
It will be the first career start for Manning, a second year freshman. He relieved Ewers in the second quarter last week against UTSA, and passed for four touchdowns and ran for another in a 56-7 Texas victory.
Manning is the son of Cooper Manning, the grandson of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning, and the nephew of Super Bowl-winning QBs Peyton and Eli Manning.
Ewers missed several games over the previous two seasons with shoulder and sternum injuries.
The Longhorns are No. 1 for the first time since 2008 and Saturday’s matchup with the Warhawks is Texas’ last game before the program starts its first SEC schedule against Mississippi State on Sept. 28.
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