Cubs Beat White Sox 7-5 on Crow-Armstrong's 10th-Inning 2-Run Homer

Q: How did the White Sox nearly steal a Crosstown Classic victory despite being drastically outhit 14 to 4 by the Cubs?

The White Sox nearly stole the game by maximizing almost every scoring chance they had, even while producing only four hits. Their offense was built on timely power and patience. Randal Grichuk’s three-run homer in the fourth erased an early deficit, and Andrew Benintendi’s late go-ahead homer in the eighth put them up 5-4. They also worked counts, drew key walks, and forced the Cubs to rely on vulnerable middle and late bullpen arms despite Shota Imanaga’s strong six-inning, 10-strikeout start. Just as important, Chicago’s bullpen kept the Cubs from turning a huge hit advantage into a comfortable lead. Tyler Schweitzer and Trevor Richards combined to stabilize the game after starter Luis Castillo, and Jordan Hicks protected the lead deep into the late innings. The White Sox also got help from key defensive moments and Cubs mistakes, including a baserunning blunder and a pickoff that helped them survive a tense seventh inning. They even had a real chance to win in extra innings. In the 10th, the White Sox loaded the bases against Jacob Webb but failed to cash in, leaving the door open for Pete Crow-Armstrong’s walk-off two-run homer. So despite being outhit 14-4, the White Sox stayed in position to win because their few hits were high-impact home runs, their hitters created pressure with walks, their bullpen repeatedly escaped trouble, and the Cubs wasted several opportunities before finally breaking through in the 10th.

3 articles · Updated · Chicago Sun-Times · Aug 18

Pete Crow-Armstrong ended a back-and-forth crosstown opener with a two-run shot off rookie lefty Hagen Smith, scoring automatic runner Carson Kelly for a 7-5 Cubs win in 10 innings.
Will Venable said he chose not to walk Crow-Armstrong with first base open because he wanted the lefty-lefty matchup, a decision that immediately backfired at Wrigley Field.
Crow-Armstrong had already ignited the crowd with a 376-foot leadoff homer, and Seiya Suzuki followed with a 440-foot blast before White Sox fans answered with loud support and "Let's go, White Sox!" chants.
Randal Grichuk's 404-foot homer helped swing momentum back for the White Sox in a game Venable and players described as carrying a playoff-style atmosphere.
The charged scene reflected a revived Chicago rivalry after three straight 100-loss White Sox seasons, with both clubs now pushing toward the postseason.