Field Level Media
Aug 23, 2020
Jose Abreu went 4-for-4 with three home runs and four RBIs and Gio Gonzalez pitched 3 2/3 innings of one-hit relief as the visiting Chicago White Sox defeated the Chicago Cubs 7-4 on Saturday night for their season-high seventh straight victory.
Luis Robert blasted a two-run home run and Yasmani Grandal added a solo shot for the White Sox, who have homered 29 times in the past eight games. Abreu, who hit two of Chicago's six home runs in Friday's 10-1 victory, recorded his first career three-homer game, and is the first White Sox with consecutive multi-homer games since Matt Davidson in April 2018.
Abreu's finale in the ninth inning Saturday followed a blast from Grandal.
The Cubs rallied for a ninth-inning run against White Sox closer Alex Colome in a non-save situation to draw within the final margin.
A journeyman left-hander, Gonzalez earned his first victory with the White Sox, who drafted him in 2004 but traded him twice before signing Gonzalez in the offseason. Working in relief of starter Reynaldo Lopez, Gonzalez (1-1) pitched around three walks while striking out two.
The Cubs entered the eighth inning with two hits but strung together three successive two-out singles against Evan Marshall to draw within 5-3. Marshall ended the threat by retiring Jason Heyward on a flyout to center after an RBI single from Willson Contreras.
Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks allowed three runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings with one walk and three strikeouts, falling to 3-3 with the loss.
Tim Anderson, Eloy Jimenez and Nomar Mazara added two hits apiece for the White Sox, who out-hit the Cubs 14-6.
Pitching for the first time since July 26, when he left during the first inning of his season debut with inflammation in his right (pitching) shoulder, Lopez scattered one run on two hits in 3 1/3 innings with two walks and four strikeouts while throwing 50 pitches. After allowing a game-tying, two-run double to Victor Caratini with no outs in the second inning, Lopez recovered to retire the final seven Cubs he faced.
The White Sox opened the scoring in the top of the second in a familiar manner, as Robert launched a two-run home run against Hendricks. It was the second homer in as many nights for Robert.
--Field Level Media