Plenty of interesting firsts in this Cubs-White Sox training game

TUCSON, Ariz. -- The White Sox and Cubs don't meet for real until June 20, when they play a three-game series at Wrigley Field.

The cross-town rivals play again the following weekend at U.S. Cellular Field, a series that will ultimately decide another year of bragging rights.

The Sox and Cubs officially opened another round of competition at sold-out Tucson Electric Park on Saturday -- the South Siders won 5-3 -- and here is a list of firsts in the series:

First off-field controversy: White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen called to check on Alex Cintron on Friday night after hearing the infielder was hit in the right cheek by a foul ball off the bat of Mark DeRosa.

Cintron played with the Sox the past two years.

When he heard about the call, Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee dialed up Guillen and complained about never getting a call of concern. Guillen was third-base coach with the Marlins when Lee played in Florida.

First on-field controversy: Cubs manager Lou Piniella pointed at Guillen when he came out to home plate to exchange lineup cards with White Sox third-base coach Jeff Cox.

Piniella was jokingly perturbed with his counterpart's lack of effort.

First sign this was not just another exhibition game: Unlike most Phoenix-based teams visiting Tucson, the Cubs actually brought some real, live major-leaguers, including Kosuke Fukudome, Ryan Theriot, Mark DeRosa and Geovany Soto.

"This game is televised back to Chicago,'' Piniella said. "It's the White Sox, it's the weekend, so we tried to bring a few of our regular players and we did.''

First unoriginal sign: "We believe.'' It was written out in Cubs colors, but there are 29 other major-league teams that can make the same claim at this point of the season.

First applause: It came from the overflow crowd of 11,328 right before the first pitch when the public-address announcer reported the temperature in Chicago at 37 degrees and 72 in Tucson.

First hit (Cubs): Micah Hoffpauir doubled off Nick Masset with two outs in the first inning.

First hit (Sox):ŒPaul Konerko lined an RBI single off Rich Hill in the bottom of the first.

First home run (Cubs): Casey McGehee hit a solo shot off Masset with one out in the fourth inning.

First home run (Sox): Jim Thome hit a mammoth 2-run blast off Neal Cotts with two outs in the seventh, snapping a 3-3 tie.

First boo: Surprise, surprise, it was directed at A.J. Pierzynski when he came to the plate for the first time in the second inning.

First Cub to claim Sox-killer tag: Let's give it to McGehee, who was 2-for-4 with 2 RBI.

First Sox to claim Cub-killer tag: Let's go with another unknown entity, Jason Bourgeois. The center fielder was 1-for-2 with 2 walks, 1 run, 1 RBI and 3 stolen bases.

First tip of the cap: Postgame, from Guillen to Piniella: "Every time you compete against Lou, it's fun. I wish my career as a manager would be like Lou Piniella, Bobby Cox, Tony LaRussa, Joe Torre. Lou is Lou -- he's one of a kind.''