Flashback: Crosstown walk-off, July 25, 2016

A heady start from Miguel González and a timely hit from Tyler Saladino helped the White Sox upset the favored Cubs for the second straight time, in today’s Flashback (aka, “something to watch” during this 2020 baseball pause): 5-4 on July 25, 2016.

MiGo threw 6 ⅔ innings of seven-hit, two-run ball, with two walks and eight Ks. Matt Albers had a horrid eighth inning after relieving González in the seventh, as he largely coughed up a 4-2 lead: double-stolen base-RBI single-single. Dan Jennings came on to rescue Albers, but earned the blown save (and, as it turns out, the win) by issuing an immediate single to Anthony Rizzo, knotting the game 4-4.

In the ninth, the White Sox proved just as determined as the north siders in the ninth. JB Shuck led off with a single, and Dioner Navarro sac-bunted him to second. With one out and after a called strike and two fouls, Saladino poked a grounder through the box for the winner.

Melky Cabrera had a terrific defensive day, menacing Kris Bryant three times: pulling back his home-run blast with one out in the top of the first, throwing Javier Baez out at home on a Bryant single in the third, and throwing Bryant out at second base to help thwart with the Cubs rally in the eighth. The Melkman also went 1-for-2, with two walks, at the plate.

Todd Frazier had the big blast of the game, hitting a two-out, three-run homer off of Jake Arrieta in the sixth.

Here’s the full game, with Ed and DJ radio broadcast on the call, masking over whoever Len Kasper and whoever on Cubs CSN.