Cubs double their pleasure and White Sox make it three in a row

The Cubs have settled on a consistent formula for winning ball games.  They hit a solo home run and then pitch a shutout.  Friday’s solo home run came courtesy of Kyle Schwarber and the shutout came via Cole Hamels and four relievers.  This 1-0 win added a new element.  The Cubs tied a major league record by turning seven double plays.  The game ended, appropriately enough, when David Freeze grounded into a 5-3 twin killing started by David Bote.  The Bucs had the runners on first and second at the time.

Great work by the new guys

Cole Hamels picked up the win, making his 3-0 with the Cubs.  He also has a microscopic ERA of 0.72.  Hamels went seven innings, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out three.  Brandon Kintzler and newly acquired Jose De La Rosa combined to pitch a scoreless eighth while Steve Cishek and Jesse Chavez did the same in the ninth.  Chavez picked up his first save as a Cub and second of the season.

The Cubs have done an excellent job up picking up pitching on the fly this season.  All five Cubs pitchers who appeared in the Cubs Friday night win have been recently picked up through various transactions.  Good work Theo.  Remember that when you watch Tyler Chatwood struggle Saturday.  Chatwood will start in place of Mike Montgomery who is on the 10 day DL with shoulder inflammation.

White Sox Shields up

The White Sox found somebody more dismal than they are.  The Sox pounded the Kansas City Royals to the tune of 9-3 Friday night.  James Shields went seven innings, allowing three runs.  The Royals struck for the first three runs of the game, all in the third inning.  Jose Abreu eventually put the Sox ahead 5-3 with a three-run homer in the seventh.  It was part of a seven run uprising on the part of the Sox.

Big night for Nicky and Jose

Nicky Delmonico had a huge night for the Sox, driving five runs on two hits. Delmonico also had a three-run homer in the Sox huge seventh inning. 

Jose Abreu’s homer gave him 22 for the season to go with 76 RBIs.  Jose is making his annual run to 25 homers and 100 RBIs.

Is that the outline of a Sox bullpen?

Thought the completion was anemic, the Sox pen was good again.  Jace Fry pitched a scoreless eighth and Thyago Vieira closed things out in the ninth.  The Sox pen seems to be coming together a bit.  The win was the third in a row for the Sox.  While the Sox are bad, their division, for the most part, is terrible.  It’s not a stretch to think the Sox could finish second in the AL Central next season.

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