Sox Even Crosstown Cup With Win Over Cubs

White Sox 3, Cubs 2

Brent Morel hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the seventh inning and the White Sox beat the Cubs 3-2 on Tuesday night to even their crosstown series at one game apiece.

The game was delayed for 1 hour, 44 minutes after a thunderstorm hit U.S. Cellular Field in the top of the sixth with one out and the Cubs having runners on the corners.

Winds made it difficult for the grounds crew to get the tarp on the field and then when it was time to take it off, the infield was muddy and needed several bags of drying compound before it was ready for play.

Paul Konerko homered for a fifth straight game for the White Sox and Carlos Pena hit his second in as many nights for the Cubs, who won Monday's opener 6-3.

Sergio Santos struck out Aramis Ramirez with two on to end the eighth and then pitched the ninth for his 13th save in 15 chances, fanning Pena to end it.

Before the storm, Reed Johnson and Starlin Castro had consecutive singles off Mark Buehrle, who then struck out Jeff Baker before play was halted.

Jesse Crain (3-2) relieved Buehrle after the delay and surrendered a sacrifice fly to Ramirez, tying the game at 2-2. Buehrle, who was shooting for his major league-best 25th interleague win, gave up five hits and was charged with the two runs in 5 1-3 innings.

Konerko's 21st homer leading off the bottom of the second opened the scoring against Cubs starter Matt Garza, who gave up four hits and two runs in his five innings before the delay.

Jeff Samardzija (5-3) came on to pitch in the bottom of the sixth. He gave up a leadoff double to Alexei Ramirez in the seventh before Cubs second baseman DJ LaMahieu made a nice stop behind the bag on A.J. Pierzynski's grounder as Ramirez had to stop at third on the infield single.

After Alex Rios popped out, Morel delivered a sacrifice fly to center for a 3-2 lead.

Rios led off the bottom of the third with a double, stopped at third on Morel's single and scored on Juan Pierre's sacrifice bunt, giving the White Sox a 2-0 lead.

Pena hit his 13th homer of the season to cut the Cubs' deficit to one in the fifth.

Castro continued his stellar play at shortstop for the Cubs with two more defensive gems, including one to retire Pierzynski on a slow roller past the mound to end the fourth.
 

Grounds crew members fight high winds while trying to lay down the tarp during a rain delay in the sixth inning. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us