Cubs 8, White Sox 1: Not Great!

Nothing really matters, anyway

Today is the day, friends. We’ve got baseball back after a long yet mildly-warm winter. There are new guys on the field competing for that coveted spot in the big leagues, and a new face in the booth with Steve Stone. I’ve enjoyed listening to John Schriffen, but I know fans miss Jason Benetti.

Alas, that will be only one of the major bummers provided by this team.

The top of the first inning would be fruitless for the Good Guys. The bottom half, on the other hand, would be absolutely brutal. Jesse Chavez immediately gave up a hit to Ian Happ, and gifted Christopher Morel a perfect home run ball on three balls, no strikes. Then Miguel Amaya singled. A strikeout, finally! The White Sox can recover from this.

WRONG. The blue-haired Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a double, and Joe Hudson loaded the bases. Then Rafael Ortega couldn’t field the hardly-hit ball, causing a three-run double and making it 5-0. The Cubs made it back to the top of the order with one on and two outs for Happ, who proceeded with an RBI single and his second hit of the frame.

Who is to blame? DJ has an idea.

The first was finally over, but the score was already something the White Sox wouldn’t be able to come back from. I don’t think Chavez will see any big league play this season, and might just retire at the beginning of the season instead of the end.

Tim Elko gave everyone hope in the second with a beautiful home run.

After one home run, one hit, and a fielding error putting a runner on first, the Cubs pulled Jordan Wicks. I can’t comprehend that, since Tony La Russa loved to nap while his pitchers were left out to die. Hunter Bigge put out the fire to keep the Sox from scoring, striking out Naperville’s Golden Boy, Nicky Lopez.

“Bigge Bigge Bigge can't you see sometimes your pitches hypnotize me” —Nicky Lopez, probably.

Joe Barlow replaced poor Chavez and the White Sox were able to play three innings of clean defense, which is not something I’m used to. Barlow was great, only walking one and forcing three ground outs.

Gil Luna started on the mound for the fifth and tried to spice things up, but did the opposite. A walk, hit-by-pitch, and wild pitch would allow the Cubs to send two runners home, making it a painful 8-1.

The bases were loaded at 8-1, but thankfully David Bote came in to pinch-hit for Morel to let the White Sox off of the hook.

The White Sox would find themselves in strikeout or ground out situations for the next few innings and excitement seemed to go stagnant for both teams. In true White Sox fashion, the game ended in a ground out double play.

Such a shame, even though this game doesn’t matter at all and I was able to close my tab the second “Go Cubs Go” started playing at Sloan Park.

There’s always tomorrow, folks. Or is there?

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