Abreu's 3 HR carry White Sox to seventh straight win
Every game matters, and any major-league player or manager very likely gives you that plain reply at any stage of the season.
Early, middle, late, every team tries winning every game and always fails in miserable fashion.
There is obviously much more urgency to win as many as possible in this COVID-19 shortened season, and the White Sox have been doing a great job on that end for the past week.
When it comes to playing the Cubs the Sox always try taking it up a notch. That was even the case the past three seasons when they were bogged down in a rebuild.
Now that they're finally up and running, the White Sox headed into the weekend series at Wrigley Field to show the Cubs - and the city - they are legit.
"I think for us, we take a lot of pride in these games," veteran first baseman Jose Abreu said. "We know the importance that this game has for the city, for our fans. We always try to beat them no matter what. I think right now, for the city, this is even more important just because the things we've been through.
"We need these kind of games for the city, for the fans, for baseball. For us as players, it's a pride moment. We take a lot of pride in these games because we know the importance of these games."
Abreu has certainly done his share of the heavy lifting in the first two games of the crosstown series.
After twice clearing the fences in Friday's blowout, Abreu established a career high with 3 home runs in Saturday night's 7-4 win over the Cubs.
"Incredible," White Sox starting pitcher Reynaldo Lopez said. "I'm just happy for him to have this kind of run he's on now."
The American League's 2019 RBI leader, Abreu hit a solo homer off starter Kyle Hendricks in the sixth inning to pull the Sox out of a 2-2 tie.
In the eighth, the 33-year-old veteran hit a 2-run shot off reliever Rowan Wick. In the ninth inning, Abreu got the hat trick as the White Sox (17-11) rolled to their seventh straight win.
"I've hit 3 home runs in a day before, but not in the same game," Abreu said. "Right now, I'm just blessed to be with this team. I'm just feeling good and enjoying the moment. I'm at peace with myself and my teammates."
Making his first start since July 26, when a sore shoulder forced him out of the game with two outs in the first inning, Lopez was about as good as the Sox hoped he'd be.
Command issues cost Lopez in the second inning, when the Cubs tied the game on a walk, hit batter and Victor Caratini's 2-run double. Lopez pulled himself back together and held the Cubs scoreless until Gio Gonzalez relieved him with one out in the fourth.
"I felt good," Lopez said. "What's most important is I didn't feel any pain. I feel very happy to come back and do my job."
Gonzalez was sharp out of the bullpen with 3⅔ scoreless innings while earning his first win for the White Sox, the team that drafted him in 2004.
The Sox have hit 11 home runs in their first two games against the Cubs.
"These guys know how to swing the bats," Gonzalez said. "They must have been born next to a nuclear power plant or something. They're demolishing baseballs."
Finally surrounded by some offensive talent in the lineup, Abreu is on a tear following a sluggish start to the season.
The three-time all-star is now riding a seven-game hitting streak and is batting .533 (16-for-30) with 8 home runs and 18 RBI over that stretch.
"He just goes out and works hard every single day," White Sox left fielder Eloy Jimenez said. "No matter what is the result, he just tries to come out and do his best. And you see the results now. When you're working hard, something's going to happen."