Nothing like a road blowout to kick off the second half. The White Sox landed in Toronto and immediately reminded everyone why they were one of the hotter teams heading into the break, jumping on the Blue Jays for a 12-4 win at Rogers Centre that extended their winning streak to 4 games.
THE SOX JUST SCORE RUNS
The offense didn't just show up, it stayed hot for 9 innings. Rookie infielder Sam Antonacci added a 2-run homer to the pile, and Braden Montgomery drove in 4 to power the barrage. It was the kind of laugher where every part of the lineup got a turn.
Love seeing the entire team chip in tonight. This is awesome baseball
Antonacci's blast got some extra buzz for reasons beyond the box score. Statcast pegged the expected batting average on the ball at a measly .120, meaning by the numbers it should've died in a glove most nights. Instead it cleared the fence, and the reaction was that it would've left the yard in roughly 95% of MLB parks.
It's stupid that on @statcast Antonacci's bomb had an xBA of .120 but would have be gone in about 95% of parks
There was also some pregame chaos before the good vibes kicked in. One White Sox follower admitted to sitting through the CHSN app countdown thinking the next game started in 20 minutes, not realizing it actually meant 20 hours, all because the club was airing on Apple TV instead of the usual regional feed. Minor confusion, but it set the tone for a night that ended up being anything but boring.
By the final out, the vibe among Sox fans wasn't just relief, it was a statement. The team looked like it never left for the break, coming out throwing haymakers against a Toronto club that had no answer. Four straight wins and a 12-4 road beatdown is about as good a way as any to open the second half, and if Chicago's lineup keeps hitting like this, the Blue Jays won't be the last team to feel it.