Anderson homers as White Sox beat Cubs 3-1 at rainy Wrigley
By JAY COHEN | AP Baseball Writer
CHICAGO (AP) — Playing through rainy, windy conditions at Wrigley Field, Tim Anderson and the Chicago White Sox did just enough to win.
Anderson homered and José Abreu made two nice plays at first base, helping the White Sox beat the Chicago Cubs 3-1 on Tuesday night.
“It was one of those games that was up there, toughest weather that I've probably played in,” Anderson said. “But good thing we got the win, that we (were) able to finish it.”
The game-time temperature was 45 degrees, and rain blew across the field for much of the night. Even with the extreme weather, each team committed just one error.
“That was one of the toughest games I think I've ever played in,” Cubs second baseman Nick Madrigal said. “Just the constant rain, just wet ball, throwing it. Even hitting, you know there's rain in your face.”
Looking to dig themselves out of a rough start, the banged-up White Sox won for the third time in four games. Michael Kopech pitched four-plus scoreless innings, and Jake Burger had two hits.
Anderson led off the third with an opposite-field drive to right-center on Keegan Thompson's first pitch of the inning, making it 3-0 with his fourth homer. The dynamic shortstop is batting .359 (14 for 39) in his last 10 games.
“Staying inside of the baseball. Staying middle to right,” Anderson said, “and that's just my approach.”
The Cubs went with a bullpen day after they placed left-hander Drew Smyly on the bereavement list before the first meeting of the season with their crosstown rivals. Scott Effross (0-1) got four outs in his first big league start, allowing two unearned runs and two hits.
The North Siders put runners on first and second in the third, but Abreu grabbed Seiya Suzuki's liner and scrambled over to first for the inning-ending double play. The big first baseman started another slick double play in the fifth.
The White Sox threatened in the top of the fifth, loading the bases with one out, but Abreu bounced into a double play that featured a strong turn by Madrigal.
Nico Hoerner got the Cubs on the board with an RBI double in the sixth. Yan Gomes then struck out swinging against José Ruiz, stranding runners at second and third.
“Couldn't get anything going really offensively,” Cubs manager David Ross said. “Tough conditions.”
Reynaldo López (3-0), the first of five White Sox relievers, pitched a scoreless inning for the win. Liam Hendriks got three outs for his sixth save in seven chances.
“Bullpen was outstanding,” White Sox manager Tony La Russa said.
TRAINER'S ROOM
White Sox: Burger banged his left knee into the short wall along the line while chasing a foul ball in the third. After testing his legs with a few short sprints, the third baseman stayed in the game. ... OF Andrew Vaughn (right hand/wrist) missed his fourth straight game after he was hit by a pitch on Friday. “He’s getting better, but it’s the kind of thing where if he tries to swing sore, might do something unnatural and make it sore,” La Russa said.
Cubs: C Willson Contreras was out of the starting lineup for the second straight game with an unspecified injury. Ross said Contreras is day to day, and he didn't want to be specific about his issue “for competitive advantage stuff.” ... LHP Wade Miley (elbow soreness) felt good after his bullpen session Sunday. He planned to play catch Tuesday. ... SS Andrelton Simmons (right shoulder inflammation) continues to take live BP in Arizona, and he is adding throws across the diamond to his throwing program. ... OF Clint Frazier (appendicitis) planned to ride a bike Tuesday as he starts to ramp up his activity. He said the appendicitis was his first surgery ever. “It sucked. It hurt,” a grinning Frazier said.
UP NEXT
Right-handers Lucas Giolito (0-1, 2.57 ERA) and Kyle Hendricks (1-2, 5.47) start on Wednesday night. Giolito pitched six innings of three-run ball for the White Sox in a 5-1 loss to the Angels on Friday. Hendricks was tagged for six runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings of an 11-1 loss at Milwaukee last week.
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Jay Cohen can be reached at https://twitter.com/jcohenap
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