Vladimir Guerrero Jr. plays hero for Jays in Chicago

Here’s what you need to know about the Blue Jays’ 4-3 win over the White Sox in Chicago on Tuesday:

Big-time blast

The Blue Jays have been hurting — all season, it feels like — for a big hit in a big spot and in the opener of their final road trip before the all-star break Vladimir Guerrero Jr. played hero.

Down by a run in the eighth, having missed out on a first-and-third, one-out opportunity the inning before, Brandon Belt led off by working a walk against fireballing right-hander Joe Kelly.

That brought up Guerrero, who blasted a hanging slider over the wall in right field for his 13th home run of the season, putting the Jays on top for good.

Bouncing back

After his first blown save as a Blue Jay in Sunday’s loss to Boston, Erik Swanson got right back on the horse, coming in to protect the one-run lead against the top of the White Sox order.

With one out, Tim Anderson hit a line drive down the right-field line that George Springer deflected into the netting in foul territory for a triple, putting Swanson in serious jeopardy of blowing a lead for a second straight game.

But the North Dakotan popped up the red-hot Luis Robert Jr. then got Eloy Jimenez to hit a routine fly ball to left, leaving Anderson 90 feet from tying the game.

Jordan Romano struck out the side in order in the ninth for the save.

Flashing the leather

American League batting leader Bo Bichette didn’t do much at the plate Tuesday, limited to just one infield single in five at-bats, but he threw his glove into the ring in a big way.

With a runner on first and nobody out in the third, the shortstop made an outstanding play to his right on a Zach Remillard ground ball headed for the hole and started a double play.

The next inning, Bichette made an even better play to his left, going up the middle to take away a hit from Robert. Guerrero had a pretty stretch on the other side of it as well.

Mike Wilner is a Toronto-based baseball columnist for the Star and host of the baseball podcast “Deep Left Field.” Follow him on Twitter: @wilnerness

SHARE: