It has been a roller-coaster season, and manager Robin Ventura has been tasked with making sure his players hold on for dear life.
He has done so while not knowing just how long he will be along for the ride.
The White Sox were able to rebuild some confidence with three wins in a four-game series in Boston after being swept in Cleveland.
“That’s really the mantra right now is continue to grind, continue to play, continue to fight through it,” Ventura said before the Sox won for the fourth time in five games with a 3-2, white-knuckle win over the Blue Jays on Friday at U.S. Cellular Field.
That was the case when Todd Frazier drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh with an RBI single and closer David Robertson pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth.
Robertson struck out Edwin Encarnacion and got Michael Saunders to pop out to shortstop after allowing a one-out walk and two singles.
“It was a grind, and I was just giving it everything I had,” Robertson said. “I was very fortunate to escape that inning without giving up a run.”
Frazier’s RBI single in the seventh inning gave the Sox a 3-2 lead after starter Carlos Rodon gave up a pair of earned runs in 5 2/3 innings. Rodon scattered six hits and struck out eight before the Sox’ bullpen managed to protect the one-run lead and preserve the gritty win.
The fight was evident in Frazier, who has struggled to come through in big moments.
“That felt good,” said Frazier, who was filling in at first base for Jose Abreu, who was given the day off after being hit by a pitch Thursday.
“Squaring balls up — that’s what I’ve been trying to do. Few and far between. Seems the only ones I’ve been squaring up go over the wall, which is fine, but you’ve got to get those ones in between as you go through the year.
“It was a good day today all the way around. Guys came back, pitching was great and hopefully I can build off this.”
The Sox are hoping to experience the same kind of carryover.
Although Ventura would like to see more offense, grinding out a win the way they did was a step in the right direction.
The next step is to keep things rolling.
“We’ve been playing good baseball lately,” Robertson said. “We’ve been grinding it out, everyone is playing hard, we are feeling good and hopefully the winning continues.”
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