TORONTO — Pitching just a few days after the birth of his daughter, White Sox starter Adrian Houser gave the White Sox 6 ⅓ strong innings that set the stage for his team’s 4-2 rubber-match win over the Blue Jays.
Houser, 2-2 with a 2.27 ERA in six impressive starts since signing a one-year deal with the Sox last month, returned to the roster Sunday after going on the paternity list to welcome his daughter, Holland Kay, to the world last week.
He cruised through Toronto’s lineup until the fifth inning, when he yielded an RBI single to Bo Bichette. The Jays’ shortstop knocked in another in the bottom of the seventh after a leadoff triple by left fielder Alan Roden ended another workhorse performance by Houser.
He gave up seven hits and three walks with four strikeouts to contain a formidable Toronto lineup, exiting the game with the Sox trailing 2-1.
Blue Jays starter and 2011 Sox draft pick Chris Bassitt cruised past his former team for three innings, which didn’t muster a hit until shortstop Chase Meidroth’s single to lead off the fourth inning. Meidroth later scored on Luis Robert Jr.’s groundout.
The Sox tied it up in the eighth on a bases-loaded grounder by Andrew Benintendi that was bobbled for an error by Jays reliever Jeff Hoffman, and Miguel Vargas followed up with the eventual game-winning two-run double.
Manager Will Venable called on rookie flamethrower Grant Taylor to close out the ninth, and his first career save earned him a postgame beer shower from teammates just two days after his first career start as the opener in Friday’s series-opening win.
“I realized while I was up there [in the bullpen] like, oh, this is a save opportunity. This is pretty cool,” the laid-back Taylor said.
Before the comeback, the Sox had been 0-38 in games where they trailed after seven innings. “It’s tough, but that’s what grinding is, and that’s what these guys are here to do,” Venable said.
Houser’s wife, Megan, son Ronald and the newborn were all doing well back home near Tulsa, Oklahoma.
“I think I had a little extra ‘dad strength’ today,” Houser said.
Palisching one off
Rookie lefty Jacob Palisch was optioned back to Double-A Birmingham after giving up two runs and three hits during his one-inning MLB debut on Saturday.
The 26-year-old Texas native and Stanford grad is among 16 rookies who have cycled through the Sox’ clubhouse so far this season, and among 10 to make their MLB debut this year with Chicago. Palisch has posted a 1.19 ERA in 15 games with seven starts at Double-A Birmingham.
“A couple of unlucky breaks, but I’m proud of myself for one, getting to this point, and two, being able to work through a couple tough at-bats and get the first one under the belt,” Palisch said. “It was a lot of fun and it’s something I’m going to remember and cherish forever.”
Tick-Tauch
Outfielder Mike Tauchman missed a third straight game after tweaking a groin muscle while running to home during last week’s doubleheader against the Cardinals.
Venable said Tauchman would’ve been available off the bench for Sunday’s game and should be back in the lineup soon.
“We’re still obviously not in a spot where we want to start him… but it continues to progress in a positive way,” Venable said.
As of last week, Tauchman was improbably running third in fan voting for the MLB All-Star Game among American League designated hitters, despite mostly playing right field and missing significant time earlier this season with a hamstring injury.