The reaction in the dugout was not that of a team that is quick to react: players on the top step pounded on the padded railing as the Cubs took a 3-1 lead over the White Sox in the eighth inning.
That lead, achieved by a two-run single to left field by catcher Miguel Amaya, would hold for the Cubs. It was the first game of a four-game season series that did not end with a 7-6 Cubs victory. And with the win, the Cubs won the four-game Crosstown Classic in two two-game sets.
“It’s going great here in the clubhouse,” said Amaya. “Everyone is together. The atmosphere, the energy here is: This is a brotherhood, and we build each other up.”
With the win, the Cubs (59-60) moved within one game of .500, on the edge of wild card contention, 3 ½ games out of a playoff spot.
Starting pitcher Justin Steele, who limited the White Sox to one unearned run in six innings, has taken the “one day at a time” motto to the extreme. He hasn’t paid attention to the Cubs’ record all season. But that’s not the case everywhere.
“I know where we stand,” said second baseman Nico Hoerner. “It feels like we’re still managing to control what we can. It doesn’t feel like we’re looking at the scoreboard and making sure the other teams are losing or anything like that.”
“The first thing you can do is control your part of the game, and we’ve done a good job of that considering we’ve put ourselves in a tough spot with the way we’ve played for an extended period of time. But I think we’re seeing a very complete version of ourselves right now as far as pitching goes, both on defense and across the lineup.”
It wasn’t the Cubs’ best series this year. The White Sox haven’t been great this season, but they have the worst record in the MLB with over 15 losses. But it was their third series win in a row.
“We’ve been playing really competitive games with them for years,” left fielder Ian Happ said of the Crosstown Cup. “… Great energy in the stands the last two days, and that’s the big league. When you win by one or two runs, those are wins, and it’s hard to win in the big leagues.”
The Cubs tied the game on Saturday with one of the strangest plays of the year. Isaac Paredes hit a double to left field and Cody Bellinger ran around the bases from first base. But when White Sox left fielder Andrew Benintendi threw to his cutoff player, shortstop Brooks Baldwin, the rookie turned first to second base instead of home plate and held the ball as Bellinger scored.
“Obviously, it’s great when things are going in your favor,” Steele said. “To me, it’s much better to pitch when you’re tied or ahead than to pitch when you’re behind. Because when you’re behind, you just try your best to not allow any more runs and keep the gap. So when you’re tied, it definitely gives you confidence out there on the mound.”
The Cubs’ game-winning comeback was a round of small ball. Hoerner opened the inning with a walk. Dansby Swanson, who reached 1,000 career hits on Saturday, hit a chopper for a single. Pete Crow-Armstrong put them ahead with a sacrifice bunt. And Amaya got them in.
