After rough start, Lucas Giolito locks in and dominates Jays in White Sox’ win

TORONTO — In the first inning, right-hander Lucas Giolito started to look like his old self. He allowed three hits and a run and had gotten only one out.

In the past, Giolito had a tendency to let innings spiral out of control. But that wasn’t the case Sunday in the White Sox’ 5-1 victory against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

Rather than stressing about the two men on base, Giolito took a second to regroup. He focused on his breathing and locked in.

It worked.

Giolito retired the next two batters. And in the next six innings, he allowed only one hit.

“[It was] the most important factor,” said Giolito, who walked one batter and tied his season high with eight strikeouts. “Last year, that’s one of those innings that would’ve gotten away from me, give up three runs, put myself in a hole at the beginning of the game.

“Now when I have runners on base [and] I have zero outs, it’s all about coming back to breathe, resetting everything and having the trust that I’m going to be executing that pitch and doing it over and over and over again until I’m out of that inning.”

Since Giolito returned from the injured list (strained left hamstring) this month, he has been dominant. He’s 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA and 23 strikeouts in three starts.

Asked if this is the best command he has seen from Giolito, manager Rick Renteria said: “It’s close to it.”

Renteria gave credit to Giolito for not getting rattled by the rough start.

“Those are some of the things that experience, time and trust start to allow you to be able to work through, [not] allow moments to take a hold of you and shake you,” Renteria said. “He kept his composure, and he did a really nice job. He’s maturing. This young man has done a lot to put himself in a better place, and it’s noticeable.”

Injury updates

Outfielders Nicky Delmonico and Leury Garcia suffered injuries in this series.

Delmonico is day-to-day with a sore left shoulder.

Renteria said his decision to remove Delmonico from the lineup for the series finale was made with an “abundance of caution.” The injury occurred in the fourth inning Saturday when Delmonico tried to make a diving catch, Renteria said.

Garcia left the game Sunday with stiffness in his lower back. While catching a fly ball in the third inning, he ran backward into an unpadded part of the center-field wall. After the collision, Garcia remained face down on the warning track and seemed to be in a lot of pain.

He stayed in the game the rest of the inning but was replaced by Jose Rondon for his next at-bat. Charlie Tilson moved to center, and Rondon took over Tilson’s spot in left field.

After the game, Renteria said Garcia got the wind knocked out of him. He’s also day-to-day.

Pink out

The Sox and Jays paid homage to mothers everywhere by adding a splash of color to their uniforms.

The teams joined Major League Baseball in wearing pink-accented hats, socks and gloves for Mother’s Day. The gear will be available for purchase, with proceeds going to MLB charities, including Susan G. Komen and Stand Up To Cancer.