White Sox complete sweep of Blue Jays, improve to 16-6

TORONTO – This head-turning start to the White Sox’ 2016 season has mainly been about the best pitching staff in the American League through 22 games – four pitchers combined on the Sox’ fifth shutout Wednesday night – much improved defense and just enough hitting.

“If you’re getting hits when they really, really count, your confidence level is going to be higher,’’ catcher Dioner Navarro said after the Sox completed their first sweep of a series in Toronto with a 4-0 victory over the Blue Jays Wednesday night. “We’re going to take this into the next series, and keep rolling, man. We have a great team here and I think we have a great shot of doing great things.’’

Jose Quintana pitched six innings of scoreless ball with 10 strikeouts and Navarro, his batterymate, hit his first triple in four years to drive in two runs and break a scoreless tie as the Sox won for the sixth straight time and eighth time in their last nine games. Their 16-6 record is the best in the American League.

“They have a lot of confidence right now,’’ manager Robin Ventura said of team. “It started in spring training with a veteran group who understands how to play. We’ve been getting the hits at the right time and when you get veteran guys who know how to play but care about each other – they can get on each other, they can hug each other – it’s a nice little group and they’re in a nice groove winning games.

“They understand what it takes late in a game and they’ve been getting it done.’’

Quintana (3-1, 1.47 ERA) got it done by striking out 10 Jays, leaving after throwing 104 pitches to get through six innings. He allowed four hits and let the Sox’ stellar bullpen do the rest. Left-hander Zach Duke and Nate Jones pitched perfect innings in the seventh and eighth before closer David Robertson added a perfect ninth. Robertson struck out two and Duke one.

Navarro’s triple, which took an odd carom off the right-center field wall, came with two outs in the seventh against Jays starter Marco Estrada (1-2), scoring Melky Cabrera and Brett Lawrie. Austin Jackson followed with an RBI triple to make it 3-0 and Avisail Garcia drove in the fourth run with a single in the eighth.

The Sox had been held to one hit through six innings, but they have scored 23 runs scored in the seventh inning this season. All four of the Sox runs came after two outs.

The Sox’ lead the major leagues in shutouts, and the five are the most by a Sox team in its first 22 games since they had six in 1973.

Quintana was “unbelievable,’’ Navarro said.

“He was throwing a lot of strikes. He was getting ahead of his hitters with all of his pitches — fastball, breaking ball, everything. He kept going after hitters.’’

“It was a great matchup,’’ Ventura said. “Q, any time he got in a tough spot he got a little more on it. He probably reached back and grabbed something else, and Estrada took a little something off. Both guys pitched great but we got the hits when we needed them.’’

The bottom of the order did the heavy lifting for the second straight night. Navarro caught his third straight game against his former team with Alex Avila on the disabled list. He extended his hitting streak to five games.

“We still haven’t been hitting,’’ Navarro said. “[Jose] Abreu is in a funk a little bit. [Todd] Frazier is hitting in the low .200s, but we are getting timely hitting, which is the most important thing.’’

The Sox also backed Quintana with defense. Right fielder Adam Eaton continued to shine at his new position with two standout plays, and 37-year-old shortstop Jimmy Rollins went into the hole to make one in the eighth inning.

Quintana, whose 53 no-decisions are the most in the majors since 2012, has said since spring training that his luck would change.

“Absolutely, of course,” he said Wednesday. “When the seasons started, that’s what I said. This is a new year for everybody. Not just for me, for all of the team. We try to keep going, day by day. We play good baseball.”

The Jays (10-13) were swept at Rogers Centre for the first time since 2013. Manager John Gibbons was ejected for arguing balls and strikes.