LDN - Sports

White Sox edge Cubs, end nine-game losing skid

[July 25, 2017] CHICAGO -- Rick Renteria said it was an emotional victory after the Chicago White Sox topped the Chicago Cubs 3-1 on Monday at Wrigley Field.

But it had little to do with the White Sox manager beating a team he once guided.

"I was emotional just because we've been down and we've been looking for a victory and for our (pitcher) to give us some length," said Renteria, whose White Sox (39-57) halted a nine-game losing streak. "I was proud of the way we played."

Adam Engel went 2-for-4 with a go-ahead home run and Matt Davidson added an insurance shot. Jose Abreu also had two hits, including an RBI double, in the first of four games between the city rivals.

White Sox starter Miguel Gonzalez (5-9) worked 7 1/3 innings to get the win and end a four-game losing streak.

Right-hander Anthony Swarzak pitched 1 1/3 innings and survived a shaky ninth with two runners on before striking out Willson Contreras to end the game and post his first career save.

"We went with the guy who's been throwing the best," said Renteria, who was dismissed by the Cubs after the 2014 season and joined the White Sox as bench coach last year.

The loss, only the second in 10 games since the All-Star break for the Cubs (51-47), knocked them out of first place in the National League Central.

Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks received a no-decision in his first start after a seven-week stay on the disabled list with tendinitis. Justin Grimm (1-1) gave up a home run while working 1 2/3 innings and took the loss.

"I just left one pitch over the plate," Grimm said. "For the most part, that's probably the best I've felt, control-wise, in a couple of years."

Kevan Smith also had two hits for the White Sox. Jon Jay went 4-for-4 to account for nearly half of the Cubs' attack.

Both teams had missed opportunities. The Cubs left 12 men on base and the White Sox stranded eight.

The White Sox had Engel perched at third with two outs in the second inning after a Smith single, but the threat fizzled as Gonzalez grounded to third.

The Cubs loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the second and Hendricks brought home Ben Zobrist from third for a 1-0 lead with a broken-bat fielder's choice grounder to second.

The White Sox threatened again in the fourth with runners at first and second after a Smith bloop hit to left. But Gonzalez grounded to second on a 3-2 count.

Abreu broke the shutout in the fifth with his RBI double to deep right that brought home Melky Cabrera from first.

Abreu's RBI hit marked the end for Hendricks, who worked 4 1/3 innings in his first start since early June.

Hendricks allowed one run and eight hits, struck out five and walked none while throwing 92 pitches.

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Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks (28) throws against the Chicago White Sox at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports

"I thought he wasn't as normal. Velocity was down a little bit. There was not a lot of difference between his pitches," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "He threw like 90 pitches, which was good to get him stretched out moving into the next start. ... It's a good outing to build off of."

Engel gave the White Sox a 2-1 lead in the sixth with a one-out, first-pitch solo homer off Grimm.

"It felt good to just put us ahead," Engel said. "Any time you get a lead you give your bullpen a chance to shut things down."

The Cubs had bases loaded with two outs in the seventh, but Anthony Rizzo flied out on a long drive to the warning track in left center to end the inning.

Davidson then slammed his 19th home run of the season off Cubs reliever Koji Uehara to lead off the eighth for a 3-1 White Sox lead.

Gonzalez left after facing one batter in the Cubs' eighth. He allowed one run on seven hits, walked three and struck out three in his 7-1/3 inning outing.

After Tuesday's day game at Wrigley Field, the interleague series shifts to Guaranteed Rate Field for two night games.

NOTES: White Sox LF Melky Cabrera batted leadoff despite rumors that he could be on the trading block. Cabrera is batting .295 and went 4-for-4 last Saturday at Kansas City. ... The White Sox's nine-game losing streak was their longest since 2013. ... The White Sox send LHP Carlos Rodon (1-3, 5.75 ERA) against Cubs RHP John Lackey (6-9, 5.04) in Tuesday's game at Wrigley Field. ... The White Sox and Cubs split the season series in 2015 and 2016, but the South Siders lead the overall series 58-51. ... 1B Anthony Rizzo was hit by a pitch for the 17th time this season in the first inning. He's second in the big leagues behind Pittsburgh's Josh Harrison (20). ... Ben Zobrist went 0-for-3 for the Cubs and remains one extra-base hit from 500 for his career. ... The Cubs return to National League Central competition on Friday with a three-game series at the Milwaukee Brewers. Of their remaining 64 games, 34 are against division opponents.

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