White Sox top Blue Jays in front of big home crowd

Chicago White Sox fans haven't asked for much during the rebuild.

They are starting to clamor for top prospects Eloy Jimenez and Michael Kopech, but for the most part they've admirably handled another season of steady losing.

The second-largest crowd (29,442) of the season turned out Saturday and it looked like the postgame fireworks were going to be the highlight of the night after starter Lucas Giolito and the Sox fell behind the Toronto Blue Jays 5-1 in the fifth inning at Guaranteed Rate Field.

"If you keep playing the game for nine innings, anything is possible," manager Rick Renteria said.

The White Sox did just that, and a 6-run outburst in the eighth inning lifted them to a 9-5 win in front of an appreciative audience.

"It makes me look to the future, when we have a lot more games like this," Giolito said after giving up 5 runs on 9 hits and 1 walk in 4⅓ innings. "When we're winning and playing well, it's going to be a really good time. The crowd is behind us and the atmosphere here is awesome when we're playing well or making a comeback like we did tonight.

"It was awesome to see the boys pick me up, from the bullpen to the offense as well."

Pinch-hitter Daniel Palka's 2-run single put the Sox in front 6-5 in the eighth, and Leury Garcia broke open the game with a 3-run triple.

Garcia had a career-high 4 RBI.

"In the eighth, it was an electric moment for us," Garcia said. "All of the fans were cheering for us and supporting us. It was very exciting for us."

Renteria appreciates the support.

"It was good to hear them get excited about something," Renteria said. "They are going through the season with us. They are battling with us, they are going through the emotions, the ups and downs and rightfully so, they are our fans.

"You see them when things are going well and these guys are giving them something to cheer about, they get into it and they love their team and they want their team to have success. We want them to enjoy the times they come out to the ballpark."

Pitching in:

Designated hitter/infielder Matt Davidson was a standout hitter at Yucaipa (Calif.) High School, and he also held his own as a pitcher.

The latter skills have been on display this season.

Davidson pitched his second perfect inning of relief during Friday's 10-5 loss to the Blue Jays at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Not only did his fastball hit 91 mph, Davidson flashed a nasty curveball. Is pitching in his future?

"To be honest, I would love to maybe explore that idea," Davidson said. "It's something … pitching was a dream. As a young kid, everybody wants to hit that walk-off homer, right? I was the guy striking that guy out. That's how I first loved the game. My favorite player was Randy Johnson.

"It's something I would be interested in. I don't know if the game would necessarily allow that, or something like that. Pitching is something that is really close to my heart."

White Sox manager Rick Renteria might call on Davidson again in another blowout game, but that's about as far as he'll go.

"He seems to have a pretty good feel about at least trying to go through an inning efficiently," Renteria said. "But to look at him long term as a reliever, that's not something I think about."

May released:

Center fielder Jacob May, the Sox's third-round draft pick in 2013, was released from the organization Saturday.

May opened the 2017 season with the White Sox and was optioned to Class AAA Charlotte after going 2-for-36 (.056) in 15 games,

May batted .255 with 2 home runs, 30 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 81 games with Charlotte this year.

Seby Zavala took May's roster spot. The catcher missed the last two weeks with a wrist injury.