The Chicago White Sox prevailed over their Windy City rivals the Chicago Cubs in spring training action with a 4-3 victory on Friday. The loss for the Cubs snapped an eight game winning streak.
After two scoreless innings, it was the North Siders that opened the scoring in the bottom of the third. Eric Hosmer hit an RBI single to center, scoring Ian Happ to put the Cubs up 1-0. Bryan Ramos provided a big response for the South Siders in the top of the fifth, smashing a two-run homer to put the White Sox in front.
The White Sox would add some important insurance runs in the eighth and ninth innings. Seby Zavala delivered a solo home run in the eighth to extend the Pale Hose lead to two, and Yasmani Grandal hit an RBI double in the ninth to make it a three-run game.
Grandal’s double would prove to be massive, as the Cubs would not go down quietly in the bottom of the ninth. Sergio Alcántara and Yonathan Perlaza hit consecutive RBI singles to cut the White Sox lead to one run with one out.
With Perlaza and Alcántara on first and second, Bradlee Beesley had a great opportunity to tie the game or walk it off for the Cubs. Instead, Declan Cronin induced Beesley to ground into a game-ending double play, preserving the 4-3 result for the White Sox.
After scoring six or more runs in the last four games, the Cubs offense was mostly held in check by the White Sox pitching staff. In particular, Lucas Giolito was effective on the mound, notching six strikeouts in three innings pitched.
Next up for the White Sox is a meeting with the San Diego Padres on Saturday, and the Cubs will face the Los Angeles Dodgers on the same day. The spring training version of the Crosstown Classic will resume on March 17 in Glendale.
White Sox break Cubs win streak with 4-3 victory
