Grandal hits two three-run homers to lead White Sox over Cubs
CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox stumbled out of the gate Friday.
But they also showed there was plenty of baseball remaining, storming back from a six-run deficit to beat the Chicago Cubs 17-13 in front of a sellout crowd of 37,892 at Guaranteed Rate Field.
The Sox scored 13 straight runs to take the opener of Round 2 of the City Series.
Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal, reinstated from the injured list earlier Friday, hit two three-run home runs and drove in eight runs, matching a career high and tying a team record.
This game had a little bit of everything — home runs, clutch hits and poor fielding.
The Cubs set the tone early. Patrick Wisdom’s 448-foot, three-run homer gave them a 3-0 lead three batters into the game. They tacked on three more runs in the first.
Sox starter Dallas Keuchel exited after allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits with one strikeout and a walk in one-plus inning.
The Sox scored once in the bottom of the first but stranded the bases loaded. They made sure to capitalize in every situation during an eight-run third.
Grandal tied the game at 6 with a three-run homer against reliever Adrian Sampson. The Sox took the lead when shortstop Andrew Romine dropped Luis Robert’s routine popup with two outs. Andrew Vaughn scored on the miscue.
Two batters later, Eloy Jimenez hit a two-run single, stretching the lead to 9-6.
The Sox scored four more in the fifth, with Grandal driving in two with a double. Jose Abreu went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs, giving him 99 on the season. Robert had three hits, three runs and and RBI, while Tim Anderson had two hits and scored three times.
Grandal hit his second three-run homer of the game in the eighth. He also had eight RBIs on May 7, 2015, against the Milwaukee Brewers while with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Wisdom homered twice and had four RBIs for the Cubs. Michael Hermosillo and Ian Happ also homered.
The game capsulated the direction both teams have been headed.
For the American League Central-leading Sox, it showed the how dangerous the offense could be when as close to full strength as they’ve been all season. They batted around in two innings.
For the Cubs, the game was reminiscent of their June 30 collapse against the Milwaukee Brewers, when they scored seven runs in the first, only to fall 15-7.
Cubs starter Keegan Thompson allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits with one strikeout and two walks in two-plus innings.
Reynaldo Lopez was terrific in relief for the Sox, striking out seven in five perfect innings.
