Swiss Army Schweitz: Rookie reliever Tyler Schweitzer proving versatile for White Sox

TORONTO — Rookie reliever Tyler Schweitzer was pleasantly surprised to look up at the scoreboard to see the official scorer had credited him with his first career win, after Schweitzer pitched three scoreless innings to close the Sox’ 12-4 blowout win on Friday.

“I was thinking I was going to get the save,” a beaming Schweitzer said. It was left to the scorer’s discretion because starter Anthony Kay only went four innings. “I was like, ‘Oh, let’s go!’ First one.”

The Indianapolis native notched his first career save in unorthodox fashion last month with four impressive innings that sealed a win in Baltimore.

“Really impressive stuff,” manager Will Venable said. “To get the coverage is one thing, but to get the quality is another thing, and he puts those together. He’s really valuable for us.”

What’s the next box Schweitzer (2.77 ERA in 13 innings) wants to check? “Honestly, just keep winning and hopefully pop some bottles.”

Blanked by Bieber, Blue Jays

Sox bats fell silent Saturday against Blue Jays starter Shane Bieber, who struck out six and walked two over six strong scoreless innings to outduel Davis Martin in a 1-0 loss.

Martin gave up a run on four hits and two walks with five strikeouts over 5 ⅔ innings, with a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. double and an RBI single from George Springer making the difference.

“I’ve had a few this year where it’s just been a lot of fun, [versus Chris] Sale, some other guys where you know when they’re on and they have their ‘A’ stuff, you have to bring your ‘A’ stuff,” said Martin (9-5, 3.31 ERA). “Today I was just one step behind him.”

The Sox mustered four hits, including a double each for Miguel Vargas, Braden Montgomery and Munetaka Murakami, who fell a few feet shy of his first homer in a month and a half.

Kay leaves a mark

Kay plunked his way into the Sox’ record book with his 18th hit batter of the season Friday in Toronto, surpassing the previous high of 17 batsmen beaned by Chris Sale in 2016.

Kay’s got more than two months left on the calendar to leave some more marks, but “I’m not trying to hit anyone, obviously,” Kay said after his no-decision.

“It’s usually hitting ‘em in the foot or something like that,” he said. “We pitch a lot inside, and it just happens.”

The Sox have been on both sides of it this season between Kay and rookie left fielder Sam Antonacci, who’s been hit by 18 pitches, second-most in MLB.

Seranthony’s return

Seranthony Dominguez got a quick sixth-inning out for the Sox Friday in his first game at Rogers Centre since Game 7 of last season’s World Series, when he pitched a scoreless 10th inning for the Jays before they fell the next frame to the Dodgers.

“We were so close to winning that,” said Dominguez, who sees some similarities between that Toronto clubhouse and the one he joined in Chicago on a two-year, $20 million deal. “The way that we play here, too, we’re so hungry to win. It’s the same way that I felt when I played there last year.”

Dominguez (3-3, 4.36 ERA) is working to regain manager Will Venable’s confidence in high-leverage situations after losing the Sox’ closer job. “I feel really good. I just keep working and making my adjustments,” he said.

Gonzalez’s greener pastures

Jacob Gonzalez was still helping the Sox a week after general manager Chris Getz dealt him and reliever Brandon Eisert to Pittsburgh in exchange for Triple-A reliever and the draft pick the Sox used to take Landon Thome.

Gonzalez swatted a two-run homer on a 2-for-4 afternoon to power the Pirates past the Guardians 7-1 Saturday, keeping the Sox a half-game ahead in the American League Central.