Lance Lynn was locked in during Game 1 of Thursday’s doubleheader against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Chicago White Sox starter allowed one hit while striking out 11 in seven scoreless innings.
It was his best outing since his team-record-tying 16 strikeouts against the Seattle Mariners on June 18 at T-Mobile Park.
The Sox lost that one. And they suffered a similar fate Thursday, falling 6-2 in 11 innings.
Sox pitchers totaled 17 strikeouts, but the Blue Jays broke through in a big way in the 11th.
The game remained scoreless when the inning began. Danny Jansen reached on an infield single, giving the Blue Jays runners on first and third with one out against reliever Aaron Bummer.
George Springer singled to center against the drawn-in infield, bringing home the game’s first run. Bo Bichette had an RBI single that made its way between first baseman Andrew Vaughn and second baseman Elvis Andrus. Another run scored on a bunt single by Daulton Varsho.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. made it 4-0 with an RBI single. Cavan Biggio brought home two more with a double against Bryan Shaw.
Oscar Colás and Vaughn had RBI hits in the 11th for the Sox.
“A few balls that found the holes,” Sox manager Pedro Grifol said of the 11th. “Offensively, we didn’t get anything going all game.
“That’s going to happen to Bummer, just because he’s a ground-ball pitcher and they found some holes. (Lynn) was just outstanding.”
Lynn was long gone by the time the game was decided.
He allowed the one hit, walked one and hit a batter while throwing 102 pitches. The hit was a Springer single in the third.
Lynn had three innings with at least two punchouts, including striking out the side in the second.
“All in all, if you look at ERA and wins and losses, it’s been the worst first half of my career,” Lynn said, “but striking out guys at an elite pace. Just got to figure out how to make it start after start and keep building off of it and not have any more clunkers.”
Blue Jays starter José Berríos was just as sharp, allowing one hit with six strikeouts and one walk in seven innings. The lone hit against Berríos was a two-out single by Andrus in the third.
The strong pitching continued with the relievers.
Gregory Santos, Kendall Graveman and Reynaldo López each pitched hitless innings for the Sox. Graveman struck out two in the ninth, and López worked around a two-out walk and struck out three in the 10th.
Blue Jays reliever Trevor Richards struck out four in two scoreless innings. He surrendered one hit, an infield single by Gavin Sheets in the eighth.
The Blue Jays intentionally walked Luis Robert Jr. in the 10th, giving the Sox runners on first and second with no outs. Jordan Romano struck out Eloy Jiménez and Yasmani Grandal. Jake Burger popped out to second.
The Blue Jays made the most of their chances in the 11th, dropping the White Sox 14 games under .500 (37-51).
Before the doubleheader, the Sox placed reliever Joe Kelly on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. The move is retroactive to Wednesday.
Kelly is 1-4 with a 4.82 ERA, one save, 10 holds and 37 strikeouts in 29 relief appearances. He allowed a go-ahead two-run homer to Guerrero in the eighth inning of Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to the Blue Jays.
“He wasn’t feeling that good (after Tuesday’s game),” manager Pedro Grifol said before Thursday’s games. “We’ll have him back for the (New York) Mets series (which begins July 18).
“The only thing I can say is he’s going to rest up, regroup. There’s nothing really that’s alarming or concerning. He’s just going to take a break.”
Kelly, who was on the IL from April 9-24 with a right groin strain, had a 10-game scoreless streak from April 30-May 23.
“The last time he did this, he went four weeks without giving up a run,” Grifol said. “So I’m hoping that’s the case again.”
In the corresponding move, the Sox recalled pitcher Nick Padilla from Triple-A Charlotte. He allowed two runs with five strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings in two games during three previous stints with the Sox.
