Ian Happ hit his second double of the game, bringing in two runs in the eighth inning, helping the Chicago Cubs take the lead against the White Sox. The Cubs managed to come back twice in the game and win 7-6 at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night.
Happ’s hit, a line drive to right field off Jordan Leasure, brought in Cody Bellinger and Christopher Morel, overturning the one-run lead the White Sox had and handing them their 12th consecutive loss.
The Cubs won a game that swung back and forth, marking only their third victory in 12 games.
“It was an exciting game with lots of momentum shifts,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said about his first experience in the Chicago Crosstown Classic. “We had some crucial hits when we needed them. It was a thrilling night, especially scoring runs late in the game. Ian’s double in the eighth inning was particularly significant.”
Luis Robert Jr. returned to the lineup with a bang, hitting a 448-foot solo home run to put the White Sox ahead 6-5 in the seventh inning. The All-Star center fielder, who had been out for nearly two months due to a right hip flexor strain, also contributed with a single.
“Robert’s home run gave us the lead again,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t hold on to it. It was a hard-fought game, and we need to learn how to finish games like these.”
Morel and pinch-hitter Patrick Wisdom both hit two-run homers in the sixth inning, erasing the White Sox’s four-run lead and tying the game at 5-5.
“When you’re facing tough times, you have to fight for every win,” Happ remarked. “It would have been easy to give up in that situation, but we showed resilience and came back.”
The White Sox had a strong offensive inning in the fourth, with Lenyn Sosa hitting a two-run homer and Korey Lee doubling in two runs off Cubs starter Shota Imanaga. Morel hit his 11th homer of the season, but he also made an error that contributed to the White Sox’s rally in the fourth inning.
