Bit Player Stars for the Blue Jays

Craig Grebeck has the role of a utility player all figured out.

Grebeck hit a game-winning single in the ninth inning Monday as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Chicago White Sox, 4-3, to end a four-game losing streak.

The 5-foot-7 utility player went three for five with two RBIs, playing in place of Homer Bush.

“I know my role,” said Grebeck, who is hitting .383 in 47 at-bats.

Although Bush is hitless in his last 11 at-bats and batting only .200, Grebeck doesn’t expect to become the starting second baseman.

“Homer is our second baseman. He didn’t hit .320 by fluke last year,” Grebeck said. “We needed to give Homer a day off, he’s been struggling.”

Chicago, trailing 3-1, tied it in the ninth on a two-out single by Jeff Abbott off Billy Koch (3-0) and Herbert Perry’s second home run of the season.

But Chicago’s Bob Howry (0-1) walked pinch-hitter Darrin Fletcher with one out in the bottom half, Shannon Stewart hit a ground-rule double and Grebeck grounded a single under the glove of shortstop Jose Valentin, playing in as the White Sox hoped for a double play.

Toronto’s Pete Munro, making his first start of the season, didn’t allow a hit until Chris Singleton doubled with two outs in the fourth and gave up only four hits and one run in 7 1/3 innings. Valentin’s RBI single tied the score 1-1 in the fifth.

Grebeck’s solo homer off Jim Parque put Toronto ahead in the fourth, and the Blue Jays took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth on a throwing error by Greg Norton and an RBI single by Stewart.

The White Sox had won three in a row.