ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Bo Bichette had three doubles among his four hits, José Berríos pitched six solid innings to snap a four-start winless streak, and the Toronto Blue Jays won consecutive games for the first time in more than three weeks by beating the struggling Chicago White Sox 9-3 on Monday.
Daulton Varsho and Danny Jansen each hit a two-run home run and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reached base three times and drove in a run as Toronto won back-to-back games for the first time since home wins over the Dodgers and Kansas City on April 28 and 29.
Bichette began the day in an 0-for-12 slump but broke out in style. He doubled and scored in the second inning, singled in the third, drove in Guerrero with an RBI double in the sixth, then added another double in the seventh.
Berríos (5-3) allowed three runs and eight hits to win for the first time since a road victory over San Diego on April 20. He struck out six and walked two.
Varsho gave the Blue Jays a 2-1 lead with a two-out homer off White Sox right-hander Erick Fedde in the second, his team-leading eighth.
Fedde (4-1) allowed five runs and seven hits in six innings for his first loss of the season. He walked one and struck out two.
PADRES 6, BRAVES 5, 1ST GAME
BRAVES 3, PADRES 0, 2ND GAME
ATLANTA (AP) — Chris Sale allowed only five hits in seven innings to continue his strong run and Atlanta snapped their season-worst, four-game losing streak by beating San Diego to split a doubleheader.
The Padres won the first three games of the series. Manny Machado’s two-run double in the eighth gave San Diego the lead and the Padres rallied from a five-run deficit to win the twinbill opener.
In the nightcap, Sale (7-1) recorded nine strikeouts without a walk while winning his sixth straight start. He has allowed no runs in three consecutive starts, a streak covering 20 innings. He has 28 strikeouts and one walk in the dominant stretch.
Pierce Johnson and Raisel Iglesias completed the seven-hitter. Iglesias pitched a perfect ninth for his 11th save.
GUARDIANS 3, METS 1
CLEVELAND (AP) — Ben Lively had another solid start, David Fry drove in two early runs and Cleveland won their fourth straight over the New York Mets to ruin Francisco Lindor’s homecoming.
Lindor, who spent six seasons with Cleveland, went 0 for 4 in his first game at Progressive Field since being traded to New York in 2021.
The four-time All-Star shortstop struck out, grounded out twice and flied out, dropping his average to .193.
Lively (3-2) allowed just one run — a homer — and six hits in 5 2/3 innings before first-year manager Stephen Vogt turned things over to his bullish bullpen.
Nick Sandlin took over a two-on, two-out situation in the sixth and gave up a walk before striking out Brett Baty with the bases loaded. Scott Barlow pitched a 1-2-3 seventh and rookie Cade Smith struck out two in the eighth.
Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase finished up the combined six-hitter in the ninth for his 14th save. The right-hander has given up just one earned run in 24 1/3 innings this season.
RED SOX 5, RAYS 0
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Rafael Devers set a team record by homering in his sixth consecutive game, Tanner Houck allowed two hits over seven innings, and Boston beat Tampa Bay.
