White Sox rally for 7-5 victory over Blue Jays

TORONTO – This had the look of a potential upgrade at the back of the White Sox rotation.

But after the Sox’ first look at Miguel Gonzalez Monday night, they may not be so sure.

Brought up from AAA Charlotte to start against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first game of a seven-game road trip, Gonzalez got hit hard for five runs over the first three innings of a 7-5 victory. His last two innings, both scoreless, were better. And that’s saying something, especially against a hard-hitting team like the Jays, the third time through the lineup. He finished with five runs allowed on 11 hits and two walks – with six strikeouts — over 5 1/3 innings and left trailing 5-1.

The light-hitting Sox (14-6) picked a good night to have one of their best offensive showings, sending 11 men to the plate and rallying for five runs in the seventh and tacking on a run in the ninth. Adam Eaton singled in two runs against Marcus Stroman, Jimmy Rollins singled in one and Todd Frazier doubled in two against left-hander Brett Cecil to give the Sox a 6-5 lead. Frazier scored Rollins, who had doubled and stole third, with the run in the ninth.

“We never feel like [we’re out of it],’’ catcher Dioner Navarro said. “We knew we had a shot. We haven’t had the best offensive numbers but when it matters we come through. That’s the bottom line.’’

“It’s a nice feeling, especially coming from behind,’’ manager Robin Ventura said.

The Sox’ bullpen, the best in the American League through 20 games, was flawless with Zach Putnam, Dan Jennings, Matt Albers and David Robertson (eighth save in nine chances) combining for 3 2/3 scoreless innings. Albers broke Jesse Crain’s scoreless streak of 29 straight appearances with a perfect eighth.

With left-hander John Danks struggling through his first three innings, and with the leash on the veteran seemingly shorter in the last year of a $65 million, five-year contract, the Sox were opening a door for Gonzalez to take the only spot in a rotation that hasn’t been outstanding. The front office is convinced the 14-6 start signals they can be in it for the long haul, and with such a small margin for error in a tough American League Central, there won’t be room for a squeaky wheel.

Gonzalez, with his track record, is certainly worth a look, just as Mat Latos was.

“I went out there for the sixth inning, that was important,’’ Gonzalez said. “Just go out there and make better pitches.’’

“He threw strikes, he was around the zone and I thought he battled through it,’’ Ventura said.

Asked if he will start again, Ventura said “right now we will check and see that.’’

For one start, Gonzalez took left-hander John Danks’ spot in the rotation. Danks, who got clobbered in two starts against the Blue Jays last season and is 2-4, 6.75 against them lifetime, will pitch Thursday against the Orioles, whom he pitched seven scoreless innings agains last season, when the road trip continues in Baltimore.

“John is a team player,” Ventura said. “Guys aren’t always happy about it, but Johnny’s also a team guy, and he’s willing to do things for the team.’’

Danks is 0-3 with a 6.23 ERA over three starts this season and is far behind the rest of a starting rotation that has been key to the Sox’ start.

Gonzalez, 31, posted a 4.91 ERA in 26 starts for the Baltimore Orioles in 2015 and was released late in spring training. He had pitched to a 3.45 ERA including 69 starts from 2012-14 and the Sox, in need of starting pitching depth, signed him before their season-opening series at Oakland.

The Jays threatened in the ninth when Jose Bautista doubled with one out and Troy Tulowitzki walked with two outs. The game ended when Michael Saunders, who homered in the third against Gonzalez, hit a chopper toward second baseman Brett Lawrie that hit Tulowitzki for the final out.