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Jose Quintana ends winless streak as Chicago White Sox beat Toronto Blue Jays

By Larry Millson, The Sports Xchange
Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jose Quintana delivers a pitch. File photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jose Quintana delivers a pitch. File photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo

TORONTO -- It was an unusual night for Chicago White Sox starter Jose Quintana.

The White Sox scored some runs for him, which they hardly ever do this season.

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And he was the winning pitcher, which he had not experienced since May 2, a span of seven winless starts.

Meanwhile, the White Sox scored early and often in defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 11-4 on Friday night.

Melky Cabrera, a former Blue Jays player, had five RBIs with a three-run homer and a two-run double, and Jose Abreu added three RBIs with a triple and a double for the White Sox (30-36).

Alen Hanson and Omar Narvaez added three hits each for Chicago.

"Today my command was really good," said Quintana, who entered the game with the lowest run support in the major leagues at 2.65 per game. "I threw a lot of strikes. My fastball command and off-speed late were good. The fastball command on both sides was really good tonight. ... The last few starts I made a couple mistakes, but I made adjustments tonight."

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Quintana (3-8) has received no runs in four his 14 starts this season. He allowed five hits, two walks and two runs while striking out five.

Kendrys Morales, Steve Pearce and Justin Smoak homered for the Blue Jays (32-34), who failed for the seventh time to reach .500 for the season.

Toronto right-hander Joe Biagini (1-6) allowed seven runs (six earned), eight hits and one walk in one-plus innings.

"We were fortunate to be able to jump ahead like that, but I think Quintana did a nice job," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "He gave up two solo home runs, but he just kept pitching. I thought his changeup was working very well tonight."

Jake Petricka replaced Quintana in the eighth and pitched around a leadoff walk. He allowed a one-out single by Dwight Smith Jr. in the ninth followed by Smoak's 19th homer with two outs. He was replaced by Gregory Infante after a single by Troy Tulowitzki.

The White Sox scored four runs in the first inning. Hanson started the rally with an infield single. He stole second and Cabrera walked. Abreu tripled off the right-field wall to score two runs and he came home on a sacrifice fly by Todd Frazier.

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Matt Davidson doubled and scored on an infield single by Tim Anderson, who continued to second on Biagini's throwing error.

"I kind of felt like I was not staying within my mechanics very well," Biagini said. "It's something I used to struggle with a lot, especially my first couple of years when I really struggled. I made some improvements on that over a couple of years.

"But, once in a while, it kind of flares up a little bit. ... I'm quite frustrated with that, but it's nicer to at least know what it is rather than having no idea."

Biagini did not retire a batter in the second inning. He allowed an infield hit to Yolmer Sanchez, a single to left by Hanson, a two-run double to Cabrera and an RBI double to Abreu.

"He just had trouble throwing strikes, I've never seen that out of him before," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "He was on six days' rest with all the off days (in the schedule) but no excuses.

"When he went out in the second inning and they knew he was in trouble and had to throw strikes, they jumped on him quick. That's the way it goes sometimes. He's been so good."

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Dominic Leone replaced Biagini with the White Sox leading 7-0.

Morales led off the bottom of the second with his 14th home run of the season. Leone gave up a double to Omar Narvaez and an RBI single to Hanson in the third inning.

Pearce led off the bottom of the third with his fifth homer of the season.

Toronto reliever Jeff Beliveau entered in the fifth and allowed a single to Narvaez, a walk to Hanson and Cabrera's seventh homer to give Chicago an 11-2 lead.

Cabrera also threw out Pearce at the plate in the bottom of the fifth when he tried to score from second on a two-out single by Darwin Barney.

"The team is playing well right now," Cabrera said. "The most important thing is to keep working, keep the things that we have been doing, and we believe in ourselves."

NOTES: Toronto OF/INF Steve Pearce (strained right calf) was reinstated from the disabled list Friday, started in left field and was 0-for-2 with a walk and a homer. He had been on the disabled list since May 15. Room was created on the roster for him when INF/OF Chris Coghlan (left wrist contusion) was put on the 10-day disabled list. ... Chicago RHP James Shields (strained right lat) is scheduled to be reinstated from the DL Sunday to start the series finale on Sunday. ... White Sox RHP Carlos Rodon (biceps bursitis) is scheduled to make his second rehabilitation start Saturday with Triple-A Charlotte. ... Toronto RHP Marcus Stroman (7-2, 3.09 ERA) opposes RHP Mike Pelfrey (2-5, 3.88 ERA) Saturday afternoon in the second game of the three-game series.

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