Saladino extends White Sox magic vs. Cubs

CHICAGO — The White Sox won Round 1 of the 2016 Crosstown Cup in walk-off fashion, 5-4, Monday night at U.S. Cellular Field. It was the third straight win overall for the South Siders, who lost a four-run lead but won it on Tyler Saladino’s single to center to score J.B. Shuck, who singled to open the frame. It was also the White Sox third straight walk-off victory.

“It was just one of the those moments, really. Just trying to get a job done, really,” Saladino said. “That’s pretty much what everything is, but it was a lot of fun, a lot of energy there and it felt really good to get that done for the guys.”

With Nate Jones and David Robertson out of action due to recent usage, the Cubs scored two in the ninth against Matt Albers and Dan Jennings to tie the game. Anthony Rizzo delivered the game-tying single.

Miguel Gonzalez started for the White Sox and allowed two runs on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings, striking out eight and walking two. His only blemish came in the seventh when Miguel Montero doubled and Javier Baez homered.

But that uprising cut the lead in half. The White Sox grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third on Adam Eaton’s run-scoring single against Jake Arrieta and took control in the sixth by really making Arrieta work. Tim Anderson struck out on a 10-pitch at-bat, followed by Melky Cabrera’s walk and Jose Abreu’s single. Todd Frazier then connected on an 0-1 pitch after Justin Morneau struck out, giving him 29 homers for the season.

“It’s obvious I just need to execute better there,” Arrieta said of the pitch to Frazier. “I threw him a first-pitch cutter. I need to be more expanded with that pitch. It was middle-middle, and he’s in a situation where he’s expecting balls in the strike zone, and you have to tip your cap — he put a good swing on it. It really came down to that pitch and not being able to execute it the way I needed to.” More >

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDGonzalez’s escape act: The Cubs had runners on second and third with two outs in the sixth following Willson Contreras’ infield single and Jason Heyward’s double, leaving Addison Russell with the chance to drive in the go-ahead runs. But Gonzalez struck out Russell looking to maintain the 1-0 …

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