The Cubs’ offense ran into a wall Wednesday afternoon at Wrigley Field, and the White Sox made sure the Crosstown Classic finished in a dead heat.
Chicago fell 3-0 in the regular-season finale between the city rivals, getting only two hits while the Sox used a steady pitching performance and a late burst to pull it out. With the loss, the season series ended at three wins apiece.
Jose Urquidy set the tone for the White Sox. After Sean Newcomb handled the first two scoreless innings, Urquidy took over and carved through the Cubs for six innings, allowing just two hits while striking out eight.
He threw 68 pitches, 51 of them strikes, and kept Chicago from ever really finding a rhythm. The Cubs were clearly looking to be aggressive early in counts, but that approach didn’t pay off.
They managed only three hard-hit balls and never built any real pressure.
Both Cubs hits came from Tyrone Taylor. That was the extent of the offense.
Clay Holmes wasn’t at his sharpest, but he still gave the Cubs the kind of outing they had in mind when they brought him in. He leaned on his sinker, got 11 ground-ball outs, and kept the White Sox from doing damage in the air. That fit the script Chicago wants to run with its defense behind him.
The Sox finally broke through in the sixth. After Miguel Vargas opened the inning with a double, Andrew Benintendi drove him in to put White Sox ahead. Holmes worked through a few other jams before that, but he left after one more batter, finishing 5.1 innings and taking the loss.
The White Sox added insurance in the eighth when Randall Grichuk and Braden Montgomery hit back-to-back doubles off Ryan Rolison to stretch the lead to 3-0.
Even with the loss, Holmes lowered his season ERA to 2.49, and he kept the home-run-happy White Sox from taking him deep.
The Cubs now head to Seattle for a three-game series starting Friday after Thursday’s off day.
Before the game, manager Craig Counsell gave updates on several injured players, confirming that closer Daniel Palencia will be activated Friday in Seattle. Counsell also said Ben Brown will face hitters Friday while continuing his rehab from a neck injury in the Arizona complex, and that Justin Steele is getting close to facing hitters as he works back from a flexor strain.
Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy also said earlier on 104.3 The Score that the team plans to get Palencia into some bigger moments earlier in games so they can try to get the closer rolling again.
That return should add a major arm to the bullpen. For now, though, Jacob Webb is expected to stay in the closer role until Palencia proves he’s back to form.
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