Philip Humber went seven strong innings and Juan Pierre drove in the lone run of the game to lead the Sox to their fourth consecutive victory. This one finally pulled the club to .500 for the first time since being 7-7. The Sox now sit at 42-42.
Humber (8-4) struggled through the first three innings, but was bailed out by a timely double play in each of them. Kosuke Fukudome led off the bottom of the 1st with a sharp single to right and Darwin Barney drew a walk, but Starlin Castro bounced into the first of his two double plays to help get Humber out of the jam. In the second, Carlos Pena had a bunt single to open the frame and that was followed up by a Marlon Byrd walk. This time it was Alfonso Soriano's turn to do the deed as he bounced into a 5-4-3 double play.
In the bottom of the 4th, Aramis Ramirez got hit with an errant Humber curveball, but after that at bat Dr. Phil seemed to find his groove. He retired the next six batters he faced.
Meanwhile Matt Garza had things on cruise control. Brent Morel walked for the third time this season in the first inning, but then Garza retired the next 14 in a row. In the top of the 6th, however, Gordon Beckham led off with a walk. Humber dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Beckham to 2nd. A wild pitch put Beckham at 3rd, which set the stage again for Pierre.
Pierre, who had the game winning hit on Thursday and Friday, was not to be denied on Saturday as he lofted a single to left (the Sox first hit of the game) to score Beckham. Morel smashed a single to right moving Pierre to third, but he was stranded by Adam Dunn who struck out and Paul Konerko who flew to shallow left.
Humber ran into a little bad luck in the 6th as Barney led off with a chopper off of Humber's mitt for an infield single. Castro followed that up with a swinging bunt putting men on 1st and 2nd with nobody out. Humber was up to the challenge though, as he retired Ramirez, Pena and Byrd in order.
Matt Thornton came in for the 8th inning and shut the door on the Cubs as he retired the last six hitters of the game for the two inning save.
* Cubs Manager Mike Quade was ejected after Soriano's double play in the second inning. Beckham was clearly off the base when he received the throw from Morel, but got the "neighborhood" call.
* Dunn was 0-4 with 3 more strikeouts. None of them more aggravating than the one in the 6th inning, where he took all 3 strikes.
* Beckham was 1-2 with a walk and the lone run scored, plus a sweet play up the middle in the 9th to get Pena.
* The White Sox are now 4-1 this season against the Cubs and lead the all time series 45-38.
Record: 42-42| Box