The series finale of the Crosstown Cup has Chris Sale getting his first start since the “scissor” incident last Sunday. Would he be rejuvenated enough to get another win against the Cubs and John Lackey who is looking for his eighth win of the year.
Lackey would get the first out of the game but gives up a single to Tim Anderson. He would then round the bases when Melky Cabrera sends a line drive to right fielder Ben Zobrist for the first run of the game. Chris Sale’s start would more or less go the same way but he leads off his start of his side of the game with a walk to Dexter Fowler and he would round the bases as Kris Bryant sends a deep fly ball that just misses leaving the park for the Cubs first run of the game.
Both pitchers would put a runner on in the second but only Lackey would see just three batters as he would in the top of third. Sale would put Fowler on first again but this time he would hit him. Then Kris Bryant reaches on a walk also. Anthony Rizzo gets the first out of the inning. Zo sends a sharp ground ball to center driving in Fowler for the second run of the game.
Lackey and Sale would retire all six batters but it would be Lackey continuing to retire the inning in the top of the 5th. Sale would give up two singles to Fowler and Rizzo but neither would score. Lackey would have his ruffest inning yet by giving up a lead off single to his counter part, Chris Sale. With two outs, Melky Cabrera would single but Sale would not score. Addison Russell would get a one out double and as Sale would intentionally walks Matt Szczur but it would be David Ross who would strike out to end the inning.
Pedro Strop would replace Lackey in the top of the 7th and would walk former Cub, Dioneer Navarro but gets his second strike out of the inning to end the inning. Robin Ventura would counter by bringing in Nate Jones who retires all three batters.
Hector Rondon comes out for the top of the 8th giving up a leadoff double to Tyler Saladino. He gets the next two batters out but Joel Maddon decides to bring Aroldis Chapman into the game. With Saladino at third, Melky steps in to challenge the Heat and goes down swinging.
Jones still in the game for the Sox and gives up double to Zo who on a fielding error reaches third. Wilson Contreras sends a sharp ground ball to Todd Frazier who almost tags out Zo, who reaches the first but Wilson wouldn’t. Russell steps in the box and grounds out to short but Zo is able to score adding that insurance run for the Cubs and Chapman.
Tommy Kahnle replaces Jones to take on Javier Baez and after 10 pitches Baez walks. Ventura decides to bring in lefty Dan Jennings to pitch to Tommy La Stella who flys out to center.
Chapman back out for the top of the 9th with the heart of the Sox order, starting with Jose Abreu who lines one to a sliding Russell for the first out of the inning. Chapman then strikes out Todd Frazier and now it’s Avisail Garcia’s turn. Garcia bounces out to Baez and Chapman gets his first save as a Cub!
Go Cubs Go!
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