Gamethread: North Side at South Side

After a well-deserved day off for the Chicago White Sox, they are ready to win their third straight series, and a two-game sweep against the Chicago Cubs will ensure that feat. More importantly, a win tonight and tomorrow afternoon will bring the Crosstown Cup back to the South Side of Chicago.

Lucas Giolito, for the second time this year, will pitch against Jon Lester. After a taxing first inning during the June 19 matchup, Giolito acquired his first lost in a string of eight straight wins. However, Luc-ace bounced back in his next two starts (including a one-hit, five-innings-rain-shortened start against the Minnesota Twins on June 30), and he is seeking vengeance for himself and his ball club.

Lester, who earned a quality start from the June 19 meeting, has had a very solid 2019 season. At 7-6 with a 3.89 ERA, the lefty can get the job done on the mound. However, with a rejuvenated Sox lineup, the South Siders plan to put several crooked numbers on the scoreboard en route to a victory.

Eloy Jiménez and the Good Guys will line up as follows:

All-Stars José Abreu and James McCann fill up the third and fourth spots, and former Cubs, Jiménez and Jon Jay follow in the fifth and sixth spots. To round out the order, A.J. Pierzynski will be tonight’s analyst!

The Cubs will line up like so:

Kris Bryant bats third, and he will be in right field defensively. Anthony Rizzo bats cleanup, and he stays at first base.

The 6:15 CT game will be broadcasted on national television! FOX has the TV, WGN-AM will still have the radio, and Luis Robert will be promoted to Triple-A in the next few days!

Today is already a victory for Sox fans, but I know that we are craving a sunglasses-emoji-kinf-of victory as well! I’ll keep the sunglass handy as I root, root root for the White Sox!