Jose Abreu hit two home runs and the surging Chicago White Sox went deep six times to back Dallas Keuchel in a 10-1 romp over the crosstown Cubs at Wrigley Field on Friday night.
The White Sox (16-11) pounded Jon Lester and matched a season high with their sixth straight win. They moved five games above .500 for the first time since they were 27-22 in 2016 with the victory over the NL Central leaders.
Abreu hit a three-run drive in the third inning and a solo shot in the ninth, giving the White Sox 22 homers in the past six games. They have outscored their opponents 48-12 in that span.
Luis Robert got the rout going with a two-run drive to left field in the second. Danny Mendick connected leading off the fourth. Yasmani Grandal chased Lester two outs later with a two-run shot, and Eloy Jiménez made it 9-0 with a solo homer in the seventh against the team that signed him out of the Dominican Republic in 2013.
Keuchel (4-2) held the Cubs to one run and six hits in eight innings.
Lester (2-1) gave up nine hits in 3 2/3 innings. The eight runs were the most for him since he allowed eight in a loss to Milwaukee last September. The five-time All-Star has been tagged for 13 in his past two outings, sending his ERA soaring from 1.06 to 5.06.
Nico Hoerner broke up the shutout with an RBI single in the eighth.
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TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: Manager Rick Renteria said he plans to have RHP Reynaldo López (shoulder soreness) make a start rather than enter in the middle of a game once he is ready to return. López’s lone appearance was a short start July 26 against Minnesota.
Cubs: President of baseball operations Theo Epstein said he doesn’t think 3B Kris Bryant’s ailing left wrist will be “a long-term injury — probably not even a long-term, lingering injury.” Bryant was out of the lineup for the fourth straight game. The 2016 NL MVP was hitting .177 with two homers. ... LHP José Quintana (thumb surgery) threw 28 pitches in a simulated game plus 15 warmups. Manager David Ross said the Cubs will see how Quintana feels Saturday before deciding the next step. ... RHP Tyler Chatwood (strained back) is scheduled to throw a bullpen Saturday.
UP NEXT
The teams continue their weekend series, with RHP Dylan Cease (4-1, 3.16 ERA) starting for the White Sox against Kyle Hendricks (3-2, 3.31).
