CHICAGO (AP) - The crowd groaned as the replay was shown on the videoboard in center field. Yoan Moncada had to be helped into a cart. Willy Garcia was knocked out.
So yes, the Chicago White Sox enjoyed their dramatic victory very much. But the encouraging prognosis for their injured teammates was even sweeter.
Matt Davidson singled in Leury Garcia for his second game-ending hit in as many days, and the White Sox rallied to beat Toronto Blue Jays 7-6 on Monday night after losing Moncada to a right knee injury.
“It’s huge for us,” Davidson said. “To win in the ninth inning is always fun.”
Adam Engel sparked the winning rally with a one-out single against Roberto Osuna (3-2). Leury Garcia was hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second.
After Tyler Saladino struck out swinging, Jose Abreu tied it at 6 with a single to right. Davidson followed with another base hit into center , and then was mobbed by his teammates as he ran around the infield.
“Nothing that I can do about it. I broke three bats,” Osuna said. “Like I say, I missed the location a couple times, but it still was a good pitch.”
The White Sox trailed 6-1 before they scored four times in the eighth, capped by consecutive homers for Davidson and Yolmer Sanchez. Davidson also hit a game-ending, two-run homer in Sunday’s 3-1 victory over Cleveland.
“I think that this victory gives us confidence, gives us the energy and the motivation to come every day trying to do our best and try to work harder,” Abreu said through a translator.
Chris Beck (2-1) pitched a scoreless inning for the win, helped by right fielder Alen Hanson bringing in a foul popup tipped into the air by first baseman Abreu.
Josh Donaldson, Russell Martin and Justin Smoak homered for Toronto, which lost for the third time in four games. Darwin Barney got a three-run double on a frightening play in the sixth, and Marco Estrada pitched seven sparkling innings.
With two outs and the bases loaded, Barney hit a fly ball into shallow right field. A sprinting Moncada tried to pull up as Garcia went for the sliding catch, but he kneed the right fielder in the head and the ball trickled out of Garcia’s glove.
“I got knocked out right away,” Garcia said through a translator while standing in front of his locker in the clubhouse. “I didn’t remember what happened until the doctor started asking me questions here, and then I saw the video.”
Moncada, who is widely regarded as one of baseball’s top prospects, put no pressure on his right leg while he was helped to a cart by Abreu. The Cuban slugger patted his countryman on the back of his head before he was zipped away.
The team said X-rays on Moncada were negative, and the second baseman is day to day with a bruised knee. Garcia, who walked off under his own power, has a head contusion and will be evaluated again Tuesday morning.
“They’re both doing well,” manager Rick Renteria said. “As we get the evaluations, we’ll know exactly where we might sit.”
The Blue Jays (49-57) were coming off a dramatic 11-10 victory against the Angels on Steve Pearce’s second game-ending grand slam in four days. But they remain in last place in the AL East, on the fringe of the wild-card race, and left-hander Francisco Liriano and reliever Joe Smith were shipped out in a pair of trades ahead of the non-waiver deadline.
“It’s like having a couple friends changing schools, so hopefully they pitch well where they are at and they’re happy,” Martin said. “But we’re definitely going to miss those guys, that’s for sure.”
Toronto sent Liriano and cash to AL-leading Houston for outfielders Nori Aoki and Teoscar Hernandez. Smith was traded to Cleveland for two minor leaguers.
The White Sox (41-62) had lost 17 of 20. After trading several veterans for more prospects in July, they were quiet on the final day of the month.
MAKING MOVES
The Blue Jays also reinstated left-hander J.P. Howell from the 15-day disabled list and brought up left-hander Brett Oberholtzer from Triple-A Buffalo. Howell was sidelined by a left shoulder injury.
Aoki is expected to join Toronto before Tuesday’s game.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: RHP Aaron Sanchez, who is on the disabled list because of a recurrence of a blister on the middle finger of his right hand, is nearing a return. “He’s feeling a lot better,” manager John Gibbons said. Sanchez could take Liriano’s spot in the rotation.
White Sox: RHP Dylan Covey (strained left oblique) was placed on an injury rehab assignment with the Arizona Rookie League White Sox.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman (9-5, 3.08 ERA) faces White Sox right-hander Mike Pelfrey (3-8, 4.73 ERA) in the second game of the series on Tuesday night. Stroman is winless in his last three starts despite a 1.89 ERA over that stretch. Pelfrey is 0-3 with a 7.07 ERA in his last seven games, six starts.
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