CHICAGO -- Todd Frazier had just three hits in 30 at-bats when hitting with runners in scoring position and two outs this season. He also had four hits in his last 38 at-bats overall entering the seventh inning of Friday night's series opener between the White Sox and Blue Jays.
But there was the White Sox first baseman on this night delivering with a key two-out single in the seventh off of Jesse Chavez to score Tim Anderson from third and give the South Siders a 3-2 victory. It was a good feeling for the struggling veteran.
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"Squaring balls up. That's what I've been trying to do. Few and far between," Frazier said. "Seems the only ones I've been squaring up go over the wall, which is fine, but you've got to get those ones in between as you go through the year. It was a good day today all the way around. Guys came back, pitching was great and hopefully I can build off this."
"Mentally, he's good no matter what," said White Sox manager Robin Ventura of Frazier. "But it's good when you start swinging it and you see it visually, that it goes through and nobody's catching it. That's a step in the right direction and it makes everybody else feel good, too."
This strange season for Frazier has him hitting .202 with five doubles after Friday's heroics at U.S. Cellular Field. He also has 21 home runs to go with 49 RBIs, so he's being productive when he's hitting.
Take the runners in scoring position situation. Frazier is 9-for-63, but also has 24 RBIs from those nine hits.
"If you asked me if I'm going to have 21 home runs and bat .200, I'd say I'd take it," Frazier said. "That means I'm producing RBIs-wise, and that's what I came here to do. You want to minimize the strikeouts, of course.
"Sometimes it's frustrating when you don't get that maybe single or double or whatever, but I'll take 21 home runs every day of the week at this point of the year. Honestly, it has been frustrating, but at the same time I haven't been uncomfortable at the plate. Maybe one game this year. If I'm feeling comfortable and putting good swings and staying within my zone, I'm fine."