CHICAGO (AP) — Bo Bichette hit a grand slam and Alejandro Kirk homered for the second straight game, leading Ross Stripling and the Toronto Blue Jays over the injury-riddled Chicago White Sox 9-5 Wednesday.
Bichette’s second career slam capped a five-run fourth inning as the Blue Jays avoided a three-game series sweep.
“Bo and everyone else, it was great to see the mindset this morning,” Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. “I wish you guys could have seen it. Like everyone said, ‘let’s go. Let’s turn the page.’ It’s not easy for young guys, but they did a good job of that.”
Kirk hit an RBI single in the first and a homer to center in the third. He tops All-Star fan voting for AL catchers and leads all qualified major league catchers in batting average (.307) and OPS (.857).
Kirk batted .364 (8 for 22) with four home runs and eight RBIs in five games against the White Sox this season.
Lucas Giolito (4-4) allowed seven runs on a season-high 11 hits in five innings. He has a 9.47 ERA in his last five starts.
“There’s no excuse for how I’ve been performing,’ Giolito said. “It’s pretty god-awful.”
Kirk is 4 for 9 with three home runs and six RBIs lifetime against Giolito.
Stripling (4-2) gave up one run in six innings. He scattered five hits and didn’t allow a runner past second until Josh Harrison scored from first on a single by Luis Robert in the sixth.
Stripling has allowed 12 hits over his last 20 2/3 innings, posting a 1.31 ERA in his last four starts.
“If you don’t have overpowering stuff, you can command your pitches,” said Montoyo, who said reliever Yimi Garcia was unavailable because of left side discomfort. “He’s been doing it and is really good. His (pitch counts) have been down because people make…