Michael Kopech struggles as White Sox lose 7-3 to the Cubs
Michael Kopech struggles as White Sox lose 7-3 to the Cubs originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
CHICAGO (AP) — Dansby Swanson homered twice and drove in four runs, and the Chicago Cubs beat the crosstown White Sox 7-3 on Tuesday night for their fourth consecutive victory.
Christopher Morel and Nico Hoerner also connected for the Cubs, and Kyle Hendricks pitched four-hit ball into the seventh inning. Swanson and Hoerner each had three hits, and Hoerner had two of the team’s five stolen bases.
The Cubs (49-51) won for the sixth time in seven games overall, putting them firmly on the bubble ahead of the Aug. 1 trade deadline. The rest of the week could go a long way in determining if the team is a seller or tries to rally into a playoff spot.
There is no question about the direction of the White Sox (41-61) after a stretch of 12 losses in 16 games. Lucas Giolito and Kendall Graveman are among a group of players who could be shipped out in the coming days.
Andrew Vaughn had two RBIs in his return to the White Sox lineup after being sidelined by a bone bruise in his left foot. Michael Kopech (4-9) allowed five runs, four earned, and nine hits in five innings in front of a sellout crowd of 37,079 at Guaranteed Rate Field.
The South Siders had a chance to get back in the game when they loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh. Yoán Moncada then hit a deep drive to right, but Seiya Suzuki made a leaping catch at the wall to take away a grand slam.
Tim Anderson scampered home on the sacrifice fly and Vaughn followed with an RBI single, but Mark Leiter Jr. limited the damage by retiring Yasmani Grandal on a fly ball to left before striking out Jake Burger.
Hendricks (4-4) allowed three runs, struck out four and walked one in 6 1/3 innings. The crafty right-hander improved to 2-6 in 12 career starts against the White Sox.
Adbert Alzolay struck out the side in the ninth for his 10th save.
The Cubs backed Hendricks with three runs in the second. Suzuki reached on a throwing error on shortstop Anderson before Swanson connected for his 11th homer. Morel then hit his 16th homer, a 400-foot drive to center.
Swanson added a solo shot in the fourth and an RBI single in the seventh. The All-Star shortstop is 7 for 11 with six RBIs in three games since returning Saturday after being sidelined by a bruised left heel.
DONE DEAL
The Cubs announced they had agreed to contracts with their three remaining selections from this year’s draft, including right-hander Jaxon Wiggins, a second-round pick from the University of Arkansas.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: 3B Moncada (lower back inflammation) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list, and C Carlos Pérez was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. Moncada went 0 for 3 in his first major league game since June 13. … Asked if LHP Garrett Crochet (shoulder soreness) is going to pitch again this season, manager Pedro Grifol responded: “It’s too soon to tell. I’m anticipating he will. But I haven’t sat down with the trainers to talk about his plan going forward.”
UP NEXT
Right-handers Marcus Stroman (10-7, 3.09 ERA) and Lance Lynn (6-9, 6.18 ERA) take the mound on Wednesday night. Stroman is 1-3 with a 6.46 ERA in his last five starts for the Cubs. Lynn surrendered four homers in 6 2/3 innings when the White Sox lost 9-4 at Minnesota on Friday. Stroman and Lynn both could be on the move ahead of next week’s trade deadline.
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