Lucas Giolito falters in a five-run fifth

Early Cy Young Award candidate and 2019 All-Star Lucas Giolito couldn’t get the job done for the second time this year versus the Chicago Cubs. A disastrous fifth sealed the deal in a disappointing, 6-3 Chicago White Sox loss.

With one out in the first, Kris Bryant drove home Javier Báez on a ball sent to left field; unfortunately, the sun hindered Eoy Jiménez from making the catch on what appeared to be a routine fly. This peculiar play set the tone for the rest of a sloppy game. Most of the sloppiness came from a three-error Cubs effort, but the Sox failed to take advantage.

After that first-inning run, the White Sox had a two-out breakthrough against Jon Lester in the third. Yoán Moncada started things off by doubling to left-center field.

José Abreu drove YoYo in on a base hit to left to even the score! Naturally, James McCann followed with a single of his own. Although Eloy Jiménez couldn’t come up with another home run, the game was tied 1-1!

Lester got right back into his rhythm, and after a shaky first, Giolito was typical G-elite-o.

That was, until, the fifth inning. Lucas started the inning by giving up back-to-back-to-back walks. On the luckiest hit of the game, Kyle Schwarber doubled the first two walks home for a 3-1 Cubs lead.

Javy Báez lasered a two-RBI double of his own down the left field line to increase the lead to 5-1 Cubs, bouncing Giolito from the game. For the second time this season, Lucas couldn’t get into a sustained groove against the North Siders.

Evan Marshall replaced Gio, giving up a walk to Bryant and RBI single to right from Anthony Rizzo. After another walk, Marshall was taken out of the game; he gave up two walks and a hit, and with zero outs in the inning, the bases were loaded once again.

Jace Fry came into the ballgame and recorded all three outs while giving up zero runs! Positives!

Fry and Juan Minaya tag-teamed for a scoreless sixth inning.

Down 6-1, the Good Guys began to chip away in the seventh. Charlie Tilson reached first on an error by third baseman, David Bote. An out later, YoYo doubled Tilson home, and Moncada reached third on a throwing error by Báez.

Abreu grounded out to the shortstop to bring Yoán home, trimming the lead to 6-3.

Josh Osich allowed zero runs in the eighth, as the White Sox’s bullpen was dazzling after Marshall’s appearance.

Craig Kimbrel came on for the save opportunity, and the South Siders didn’t make it easy, but Kimbrel got the job done.

The Sox have now lost back-to-back games against the Cubs. The all-time Crosstown record is still in favor of the Sox at 61-60, but it doesn’t make a loss to the Bad Guys any better.

Jason Benetti and Steve Stone will be back on the broadcast for tomorrow’s 1:10 CT game. WGN will have the broadcast and radio. Feisty Ali White will have your SSS coverage as the Good Guys will try to split the series. If things go well, expect some celebrating, and if they go south, expletives will be in order. Iván Nova (3-7, 5.92 ERA) will square off against Kyle Hendricks (7-6, 3.45 ERA). Let’s end on a positive note before the All-Star break!