Vazquez, White Sox shut out Jays to end five-game skid

White Sox 3, Blue Jays 0

TORONTO (AP) -- After his team ended a five-game losing streak, Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen decided the time was right for a meeting with the players.

Javier Vazquez pitched eight shutout innings to win for the first time since April 13 as the White Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-0 on Friday night.

Guillen said he didn't want to be mad when he addressed his team, but they kept him waiting for a victory.

"I'm different," Guillen said. "I don't want to call a meeting when we lose a game. When we win, the players pay more attention to what you want to do, what you say."

In his 10-minute, post-game pep talk, Guillen urged the White Sox (25-25) not to lose hope, even though they're in fourth place in the AL Central.

"I just told them I believe in this ballclub," Guillen said. "I believe in what we have and they have to show themselves they're good enough to win this thing. We're not playing good but we're still hanging in there. It's up to them how far we're going to get."

Before the meeting, the White Sox celebrated with a lot of hugging in the dugout.

"I forgot how to shake people's hands after the game," Guillen said. "It's a great feeling."

Vazquez (3-3) appreciated his manager's timing.

"It's great that he waited for us to win a game because sometimes when you lose, you're still down a little bit," Vazquez said. "He made his point and I think it was well-received by everybody."

Vazquez won his first two outings of the season, then went 0-3 over his next seven starts.

"It's very satisfying," he said. "We had lost a few straight. Hopefully we start rolling from here."

Vazquez gave Chicago its first victory by a starter in the past eight games. The starters were 0-5 with a 7.17 ERA in the past seven games.

Vazquez allowed six hits and struck out five. Both hitters he walked were erased on double plays.

"Javy has thrown the ball good all year long and today he was his best," Guillen said.

Vazquez didn't allow an extra-base hit until pinch-hitter Howie Clark's two-out double in the eighth. Alex Rios followed with an infield single but Lyle Overbay ended the inning by flying out.

Overbay is hitless in his last 17 at bats.

"We were being too aggressive on [Vazquez's] pitches and not on ours," Overbay said. "As a team, we've got to focus and do better."

Bobby Jenks pitched the ninth for his 15th save in 16 opportunities, capping Chicago's fourth shutout of the season. It was the second time the Blue Jays were shut out this season.

Chicago took a 2-0 lead in the third when Juan Uribe led off with a single, went to third on a double by Jerry Owens and scored on a passed ball. Tadahito Iguchi followed with an RBI single, his first of two in the game.

Toronto starter A.J. Burnett blamed himself for missing a sign and crossing up Jason Phillips on the passed ball, leaving the catcher with a nasty welt.

"I saw a heater and I was supposed to throw him a hook," Burnett said. "Hit him right in the heart."

The White Sox chased Burnett in the seventh when Owens reached on an infield single, stole second and scored on Iguchi's single.

Burnett (5-5) struck out a season-high 12 but still lost his second straight start. He gave up three runs and six hits. He retired 11 straight batters between the fourth and the seventh and struck out every batter in the White Sox lineup at least once.

Owens was recalled from triple-A Charlotte earlier Friday to replace Darin Erstad (sprained left ankle). He went 2-4 with a steal and scored twice in his first game of the season.

"That's what we need," Guillen said. "We need to get something going on. He was in the right place at the right time."

Owens was happy to provide a spark with his speed.

"Stealing bases and running is what I do best," he said. "When I'm out there at first base, taking my lead, I'm at home, I'm comfortable."

Game notes
Burnett's career high in strikeouts is 14, set twice. ... White Sox C A.J. Pierzynski went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. ... Jermaine Dye threw out Phillips at second base in the third. It was Dye's third outfield assist of the season, the most among White Sox.