CHICAGO -- Jeff Samardzija is increasing his trade value with each outing; but, if he keeps pitching like he did Thursday at U.S. Cellular Field, the Chicago White Sox might hang onto him for a run at the playoffs.

Samardzija's latest gem was a complete-game shutout in Chicago's 2-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays, further proving the right-hander's value to a starting rotation.

Samardzija gave Chicago's bullpen a day off by dominating the Blue Jays (44-44) in the finale of a four-game series to give the White Sox (39-44) the series win and their seventh victory in the past nine games.

"I felt good out there, just pounding the zone, attacking the lineup," said Samardzija, who struck out the side in the first inning to set the tone. "You can't take a pitch off. (You've) just got to keep attacking them. (I'm) really hitting that midseason form and feeling good. (My) arm feels great and everything is coming around to where we want it."

Samardzija (6-4) struck out five, walked one and scattered four hits.

In his previous start, he took a no-decision on July 4 against the Baltimore Orioles after allowing one run in 7 2/3 innings. Manny Machado drilled the tying homer off right-hander Zach Putnam to erase Samardzija's chances to win that one, but this time he took care of business himself in the last two innings.

Samardzija also was helped by several defensive plays from his middle infielders.

Protecting another 2-0 lead starting the eighth, Samardzija retired the Blue Jays in order and left the mound smiling after a great diving play by shortstop Gordon Beckham for the third out.

In the ninth, Samardzija got third baseman Josh Donaldson to hit into a double play before ending the game with a strikeout of left fielder Jose Bautista. The double play, started by second baseman Carlos Sanchez and finished by Beckham, had a high degree of difficulty.

"When you have the confidence when it's hit in the dirt that it's going to be an out, it changes your game plan (as a pitcher) a lot," Samardzija said. "It allows you to pound the zone and have confidence in those guys. The way they've been playing, I'm going to keep doing that. Sliders down and sinkers down, I've been getting a lot of ground balls."

Right-hander R.A. Dickey (3-10) had his knuckleball working but took the loss despite allowing only two runs in seven innings. The Blue Jays lost for the seventh time in their past 10 games but are still in the thick of the race in the tightly packed American League East.

"I feel like over the course of the next, however many games we have to play, I think we're going to be in it," Dickey said. "We've been a very resilient ballclub. That's one thing about this team that I feel is a little bit different than teams in the past.

"I don't think it's going to be a snowball kind of thing for us here. We've got an offense that won't let that happen and our pitching is getting better."

White Sox center fielder Adam Eaton, who won a game on Wednesday with a walk-off homer in the 11th inning, played a key role again Thursday. He tripled and scored the first run on a passed ball in Chicago's two-run sixth.

Two batters later, left fielder Melky Cabrera (1-for-4) hit a solo homer for the second run off Dickey.

Samardzija, however, was the story of the game. Despite trade rumors starting to crop up, based primarily on his pending free agency, Samardzija has found another level recently.

In his previous start, Samardzija threw 5 2/3 innings before allowing a hit. It took Toronto 5 1/3 innings to get a hit Thursday.

Samardzija's win was just the second in 34 career starts when getting two or less runs of support.

"I didn't see one of (his sliders), but his two-seamer was pretty good, like it always is," Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak said of Samardzija. "I felt like we had some pretty good at-bats and some good swings on balls, but things just didn’t go our way today."

NOTES: White Sox SS Alexei Ramirez fouled a ball off his left foot Wednesday and had it X-rayed Thursday before the game. Results were negative and Ramirez hopes to play Friday at the Chicago Cubs. Ramirez was replaced Thursday by INF Gordon Beckham. ... Blue Jays manager John Gibbons didn't start SS Jose Reyes, DH Edwin Encarnacion or 1B Chris Colabello, who all played in the 11-inning loss to the White Sox that ended late Wednesday night. Starting instead were SS Ryan Goins, 1B Justin Smoak and DH Dioner Navarro. ... Despite LF Melky Cabrera being hot at the plate, White Sox manager Robin Ventura doesn't plan to flip-flop Cabrera and 1B/DH Jose Abreu in the batting order. Abreu has been hitting well in the second slot, where he gets more at-bats, while Cabrera is doing well hitting third. ... Chicago RHP Scott Carroll was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte after the game.