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 Hitting just .167 entering Tuesday's series finale against the
Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, the second baseman erupted for four
hits -- including a game-winning home run in the eighth -- as the
Chicago White Sox claimed a 5-1 victory.
"It was a great night, I'm complete blessed to have it," said
Beckham, who went 4-for-5 with two runs. "It was bound to happen. I
was bound to do better than 1-for-6. I wasn't panicked. It was one
of those things (where) I've kind of been here before."
The White Sox swept the two-game Wrigley Field series. The teams
meet again in night games at U.S. Cellular Field on Wednesday and
Thursday.
Beckham, whose four hits tied a career high, sent a 1-2 pitch to
left for a solo home run off Cubs right-handed reliever Neil Ramirez
with two outs.
Ramirez (0-1) took the loss in his fifth appearance of the season.
He gave up one run on two hits in one-third of an inning.
The White Sox added three runs in the ninth off right-handed
reliever Pedro Strop. Catcher Tyler Flowers' double scored shortstop
Alexei Ramirez with no outs. Center fielder Jordan Danks then
doubled to center to drive home right fielder Moses Sierra (4-for-4)
and Flowers with one out, ending Strop's outing.
Cubs manager Rick Renteria said Strop was struggling with a sore
groin.
"We'll have an MRI tomorrow morning and see how he's doing,"
Renteria said. "I couldn't tell you the degree."
White Sox right-handed reliever Zach Putnam (1-0) worked two innings
for the victory. On the night, four White Sox pitchers held the Cubs
to four hits.
Beckham, who came off the disabled list April 23, hit his first
homer of the season.
"He's been trying to find that swing, and tonight was it," White Sox
manager Robin Ventura. "He made a couple of adjustments in (batting
practice), and it felt good, it looked good. ... (He) was hitting
the ball hard all over the place, and that was a big home run for us
tonight."
White Sox starter Hector Noesi departed after five innings with the
score tied 1-1. A right-hander picked up off waivers from the Texas
Rangers on April 25, Noesi allowed four hits and one walk. He struck
out six.
Putnam entered in the sixth and worked two perfect innings before
being pulled for a pinch hitter in the eighth.
Cubs starter Edwin Jackson worked seven innings. He gave up one run,
six hits and no walks while striking out nine.
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"It was a pretty good start overall," Jackson said. "I was able to
come out and make pitches when I needed to, especially with men on
base. They came out and got some hits early, but we were able to get
out of some innings.
"It's probably the best game I've thrown."
The White Sox opened a 1-0 lead in the fourth. Beckham led off with
a single, advanced on a wild pitch and reached to third on first
baseman Jose Abreu's sacrifice fly to right. Beckham scored on left
fielder Dayan Viciedo's fielder's choice groundout to shortstop.
Sierra then singled with two outs, but the Cubs ended the inning
without more damage as catcher Welington Castillo picked off Sierra
with a throw to first baseman Anthony Rizzo.
Cubs leadoff batter Emilio Bonifacio evened the score with two outs
in the fifth when he singled off Beckham's glove to drive in center
fielder Junior Lake. Left fielder Chris Coghlan advanced to third,
but Noesi struck out third baseman Luis Valbuena to end the inning.
NOTES: The Cubs are 0-4 in interleague play so far this season, as
they also went 0-2 against the New York Yankees. They are 121-138
all-time against American League teams. ... LHP Travis Wood (2-3,
3.35 ERA) will make his 100th career start Wednesday against the
White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. ... White Sox LHP John Danks will
start against the Cubs for the seventh time in his career. He's 3-2
with a 3.06 ERA vs. the Cubs. ... The White Sox are 174-134 (.565)
all-time in interleague play, the fourth best record in the major
leagues. ... White Sox RHP Matt Lindstrom has worked 25 scoreless
innings with 20 strikeouts in 25 career appearances against the
Cubs. ... Entering play Tuesday, the White Sox bullpen had a 1.65
ERA with 43 strikeouts in 15 games since April 20, the lowest in the
American League in that span.
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