Blue Jays shut out, swept aside by White Sox
Former teammate Navarro makes impact as Toronto drops 3rd straight game
Catcher Dioner Navarro was an asset for the Toronto Blue Jays last season behind the plate.
Now with the Chicago White Sox, he used that knowledge to pick apart his former team.
Navarro, who was Blue Jays starter Marco Estrada's battery partner for most of 2015, and Austin Jackson had back-to-back triples in a three-run seventh inning on Wednesday night as Chicago completed a three-game sweep in Toronto with a 4-0 victory.
"Obviously he caught me last year, he did a really good job with me," said Estrada after the loss. "I threw him a good change-up down and away and he hit it. Just tip your hat to that, there's nothing else I could have done.
"I threw the ball exactly where I wanted it and he put a good swing on it."
Navarro's impact was also felt defensively as he guided White Sox starter Jose Quintana (3-1) through six innings of work, striking out 10 and allowing just four hits against a potent Toronto lineup.
"Navarro knows us pretty well," said Estrada. "That guy can call a pretty good game so if you make your pitches with that guy behind you, you're probably going to be pretty successful and that's what happened.
"They made good pitches against a very good lineup."
Relievers Zach Duke, Nate Jones each pitched an inning for Chicago (16-6) before closer David Robertson came in for the ninth. The White Sox have won six straight.
Reigning American League MVP Josh Donaldson led Toronto's (10-13) offence with two hits, including a double.
Estrada (1-2) pitched 6 2/3 innings for the Blue Jays, striking out five and giving up three runs on three hits. Jesse Chavez and Ryan Tepera came out of the bullpen for the Blue Jays.
Estrada, who finished the night with 118 pitches, was seen in the dugout rubbing his shoulder during the game. Afterwards, he was reluctant to discuss his arm.
"I dunno. It didn't feel very good. I don't want to talk about it," Estrada said before later adding that it wouldn't be a long-term problem.
Rare triple
Navarro broke a scoreless tie with two out in the seventh. The White Sox catcher hit a rare triple to right-centre field that almost bounced over the wall for a ground-rule double, but instead caromed off the lip of the fence and over the heads of Toronto outfielders Kevin Pillar and Jose Bautista.
After the game Navarro insisted he wasn't looking for Estrada's change-up.
"I never think," said Navarro. "I just go out there and try to see the ball the best I can and just try to put the big part of the bat on the ball. That's my approach all the time."
Navarro's hit drove in Melky Cabrera and Brett Lawrie — both former Blue Jays themselves — to give Chicago a 2-0 lead. It was Navarro's fifth triple in 13 seasons in Major League Baseball.
"I filled up that zero. I always try to fill up a zero every year. I got the triple already," said Navarro. "The next stat is a stolen base."