Sweep of Sox lifts Cubs closer to elusive .500 mark
The Cubs are a long, long way from the mountaintop, but maybe they've found their way back to base camp.
By beating the White Sox 3-1 on Saturday at Guaranteed Rate Field and sweeping the season series, the Cubs are just one game below .500 at 59-60, and have won eight of their last 10.
“We played a good series,” manager Craig Counsell said. “We took care of business. We won two games, another off day and on to play a very good baseball team (Guardians). We're trying to put ourselves within striking distance. If we play good baseball, there's time. But we know there's no much room for error.”
The hitting hero was catcher Miguel Amaya. Often pinch-hit for this season, he delivered a 2-run single in the eighth to break a 1-1 tie. He was hitting .186 in early July when given a few days off to change his hitting approach and has been much better since, with his average up to .217.
“Our catchers have been producing and that makes a big difference for us,” Counsell said. “Pete (Crow-Armstrong) and the catchers producing has really made us a better offensive team and tonight.”
Dansby Swanson collected his 1,000th career hit with a single leading off the sixth inning. The milestone happened a few hours after his wife Mallory scored the lone goal for the U.S. Women's soccer team in the Olympic gold-medal game.
The was another milestone for the middle infielders. Nico Hoerner was charged with an error, his first since May 4. Swanson hasn't had a miscue since April 30.
“A lot of nights it goes unnoticed, but it's a big part of why you pitch good,” Counsell said. “It makes pitchers' jobs easier, it cuts down on pitches and those two guys are two of the best.”
The eighth-inning rally started with a Hoerner walk and Swanson swinging bunt single. Crow-Armstrong sacrificed the runners and Amaya delivered a line single to left.
White Sox starter Chris Flexen tossed 4 scoreless innings, then the Sox gave up a gift run of sorts in the fifth to tie the score. With Cody Bellinger on first, Isaac Paredes launched one of his trademark doubles to the left-field corner.
Since there were two outs, third-base coach Willie Harris made an aggressive send and any sort of reasonable throw to the plate would have nailed Bellinger easily. Rookie shortstop Brooks Baldwin, playing his 20th major-league game, caught the throw from the outfield, looked toward second and never threw the ball as Bellinger crossed the plate without a play.
The White Sox put nine runners on base in six innings against Cubs starter Justin Steele, but managed just a single run in the second on an RBI single by Baldwin.
“Probably one of my better outings as far as how I felt, commanding all my pitches,” Steele said.
Cubs reliever Jorge Lopez put two runners on in the eight, but ended the inning with a pair of strikeouts. Hector Neris picked up save No. 17 with little drama.
Wicks begins rehab: Injured Cubs starter Jordan Wicks (oblique strain) began a rehab assignment and started for the Iowa Cubs on Saturday. He gave up 6 runs in 1 2/3 innings.