Toronto (76-66) at Chi White Sox (80-62)

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Blue Jays hope to keep momentum

Only Mother Nature could have slowed down the Blue Jays on their current eight-game winning streak. With Monday's rainout, the Blue Jays will play a day-night doubleheader against the White Sox on Tuesday.

Blue Jays probable pitcher

A.J. Burnett

  • #34 RHP
  • (16-10) 4.47 ERA 201 SO
Burnett was in line for win No. 17 on Wednesday when he exited with two outs and the bases loaded in the seventh inning against the Twins. Toronto's bullpen allowed all three runs to score, though, and Burnett ended up with a no-decision for his effort. The right-hander was charged with three runs on six hits, finishing with eight strikeouts and four walks. Burnett upped his American League-leading strikeout total to 201, becoming just the fourth pitcher in team history to achieve at least 200 strikeouts in a single season. Burnett is 7-2 with a 3.25 ERA over his past 11 starts, during which he's fanned 83 and walked 22 over 74 2/3 innings. He's 1-2 with a 3.55 ERA in four career starts against the White Sox.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 85-76 3.86 1348.1 560 1248 .236
Season 16-10 4.47 193.1 78 201 .258
September 0-0 4.05 6.2 4 8 .240
Standings - 09/09/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Toronto Blue Jays (AL East) 76 66 .535 9.0 43-29 33-37
Chicago White Sox (AL Central) 80 62 .563 - 48-23 32-39
Stats - 09/09/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
TOR .264 631 110 598 77 834 3.53 1275.2 1179 413 1054
CWS .266 719 209 699 58 894 3.92 1274.0 1272 406 1010
Skipper Ozzie Guillen isn't surprised that his team has thrived despite numerous injuries. The club will test its mettle this week against the Jays.

White Sox probable pitcher

Javier Vazquez

  • #33 RHP
  • (11-12) 4.34 ERA 175 SO
Vazquez took a no-hitter into the fifth inning of his last start, on Wednesday against the Indians, before Shin-Soo Choo broke it up with a one-out single up the middle. Vazquez didn't let the hit bother him, though, as he tossed six innings and gave up two runs on five hits while striking out five. The effort was good for the 32-year-old right-hander's 11th win of the season and snapped a mini two-game skid of White Sox starters not going more than four innings. In his one start against the Blue Jays this season, Vazquez went 7 2/3 innings and allowed just one run, but he still picked up the loss. Lifetime against the Blue Jays, Vazquez is 4-6 with a 4.25 ERA in 13 starts.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 126-125 4.29 2245.0 592 1990 .259
Season 11-12 4.34 182.2 49 175 .263
September 1-0 3.00 6.0 1 5 .227
Vs. Toronto 0-1 1.17 7.2 1 9 .276

Blue Jays hitters vs Javier Vazquez

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI

White Sox hitters vs A.J. Burnett

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI

Eight isn't enough for Blue Jays (77-66) (80-63)

Blue Jays 3, White Sox 1

Win streak hits nine

A.J. Burnett allowed one hit and one unearned run in seven innings, leading the Blue Jays to their ninth straight victory. Lyle Overbay drilled a two-run double in the sixth inning, and Joe Inglett added an RBI single in the ninth.

Sox drop opener

Right-hander Javier Vazquez gave up two runs on five hits over six solid innings, but the White Sox lost the opener of a day-night doubleheader. Designated hitter Jim Thome knocked in Chicago's run with a sacrifice fly.

Blue Jays 3, White Sox 1

TorontoABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Inglett, 2B5011003.299
McDonald, SS4000123.212
Rios, RF3010100.295
Wells, V, CF4110003.296
Lind, DH4110022.297
Overbay, 1B4022020.278
Rolen, 3B4000012.246
Zaun, C2000100.229
  Barajas, C1110000.257
Snider, LF3010112.310
Totals343834815 

BATTING
2B: Overbay 2 (31, Vazquez, J, Vazquez, J).
TB: Inglett; Rios; Wells, V; Lind; Overbay 4; Barajas; Snider.
RBI: Overbay 2 (65), Inglett (34).
2-out RBI: Overbay 2; Inglett.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Lind; Inglett; Rolen; McDonald.
GIDP: Wells, V.
Team LOB: 8.

FIELDING
E: Burnett (6, missed catch), McDonald 2 (8, fielding, fielding).
DP: (McDonald-Inglett-Overbay).

 
Chi White SoxABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Cabrera, SS3010112.276
Pierzynski, C4100004.288
  1-Owens, PR0000000.143
  Phillips, C0000000.000
Dye, RF4010010.292
Thome, DH3001002.247
Konerko, 1B2000211.245
  2-Bourgeois, PR0000000.000
Griffey Jr., CF3000111.245
  3-Anderson, B, PR0000000.230
Ramirez, 2B3000012.299
Swisher, LF4000023.226
Uribe, 3B4000025.239
Totals301214920 


1-Ran for Pierzynski in the 8th. 2-Ran for Konerko in the 9th. 3-Ran for Griffey Jr. in the 9th.

BATTING
TB: Cabrera; Dye.
RBI: Thome (81).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Pierzynski; Konerko; Uribe 2.
SF: Thome.
GIDP: Thome.
Team LOB: 8.

BASERUNNING
SB: Ramirez (11, 2nd base off Burnett/Zaun).

FIELDING
DP: (Konerko-Cabrera-Vazquez, J).

 
TorontoIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Burnett (W, 17-10)7.01101704.31
Downs (H, 24)1.01001001.17
Ryan (S, 28)1.00002203.06
 
Chi White SoxIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Vazquez, J (L, 11-13)6.05223504.29
Ramirez, H 0.20001003.67
Wassermann 1.00000007.23
Thornton 0.20000202.59
MacDougal 0.23110102.08

WP: Burnett.
HBP: Ramirez (by Burnett).
Pitches-strikes: Burnett 112-65, Downs 12-5, Ryan 20-10, Vazquez, J 98-65, Ramirez, H 18-10, Wassermann 15-10, Thornton 8-6, MacDougal 16-11.
Groundouts-flyouts: Burnett 7-7, Downs 3-0, Ryan 1-0, Vazquez, J 6-7, Ramirez, H 0-2, Wassermann 2-1, Thornton 0-0, MacDougal 1-0.
Batters faced: Burnett 27, Downs 4, Ryan 5, Vazquez, J 25, Ramirez, H 3, Wassermann 3, Thornton 2, MacDougal 5.
Inherited runners-scored: Wassermann 1-0.
Umpires: HP: Jim Wolf. 1B: Chris Tiller. 2B: Phil Cuzzi. 3B: Mike Winters.
Weather: 66 degrees, sunny.
Wind: 12 mph, Out to RF.
T: 3:08.
Att: 24,621.
September 9, 2008

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner