Chicago White Sox lose for the 5th time in their last 7 games, falling 7-3 to the Toronto Blue Jays

TORONTO — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a two-run homer, Danny Jansen added a three-run blast and the Toronto Blue Jays extended their winning streak to seven games by beating the Chicago White Sox 7-3 on Wednesday night.

It’s Toronto’s longest winning streak since an eight-game run last Sept. 1-9.

Santiago Espinal added a solo shot as the Blue Jays won for the 11th time in 14 games.

Blue Jays left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu left after four innings because of tightness in his forearm. Ryu missed 24 games in April and May because of soreness in his forearm. Ryu left his previous start, May 26 against the Los Angeles Angels, after five innings because of a sore elbow.

Ryu allowed three runs, two earned, and four hits. He walked none and struck out four in the victory over the Sox.

Ross Stripling (1-1) replaced Ryu and worked 2⅔ scoreless innings. David Phelps pitched 1⅓ innings and Yimi Garcia finished.

José Abreu hit a two-run home run and AJ Pollock added a solo blast, but the White Sox lost for the fifth time in seven games.

Back in the lineup after sitting out Tuesday because of a non-COVID illness, Pollock homered on Ryu’s third pitch of the game. It was Pollock’s third homer of the season and the fifth leadoff blast of his career.

Espinal replied with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first, snapping White Sox right-hander Michael Kopech’s 42-inning homerless streak to start the season.

Espinal has a career-high three home runs this season. The leadoff homer was the first of his career.

Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette drew a bases-loaded walk in the second but Kopech struck out Guerrero on a 98 mph fastball to leave the bases full.

Jansen’s homer, his seventh, was a two-out drive that came on an 0-2 fastball in the third.

Guerrero added some breathing room with a two-out blast off Bennett Sousa in the eighth, his 10th.

Pitching on nine days rest after starting the second game of a doubleheader against the New York Yankees on May 22, Kopech (1-2) allowed five runs and six hits in a season-low three innings.

Kopech walked four, struck out four and threw 85 pitches, 46 strikes. His ERA rose from 1.29 to 2.20.