Cubs 15, White Sox 9: Another double-digit scoring game?

Well, not the outcome we wanted, as on Monday the Cubs beat the White Sox, 15-9.

Yes, yet another game where opponents have scored double-digit runs against us. Luckily it’s still spring training, and luckily this is my last coverage until the regular season because the White Sox have been getting blown out in my Cactus League games.

The Good Guys started the scoring right away in the top of the first inning against Drew Smyly. Tim Anderson led off the game with a double, followed by an infield single by Luis Robert and a single from José Abreu to drive in Anderson and make it 1-0.

In the top of the second inning, Andrew Vaughn and Josh Harrison started it off with back-to-back singles, followed by an RBI single by Anderson and RBI double by Robert to extend the lead to 4-0.

Smyly was replaced by Kyle Johnson, which allowed the Cubs to escape the inning. Vince Velasquez had two walks in the bottom of the inning, but struck out three to stop any damage. (Smyly re-entered the game to start the third, and pitched a 1-2-3 inning.)

Velasquez started off the bottom of the third inning surrendering a triple to Nico Hoerner and a single by Rafael Ortega to score him. Lincoln Henzman — remember him? — replaced Velasquez (2 ¹⁄₃ innings pitched, two hits, five strikeouts).

Willson Contreras jumped on Henzman, hitting a two-run home run, and back-to-back singles by Seiya Suzuki and Jason Heyward gave the Cubs a 5-4 lead. After another run on an RBI ground out by Jonathan Villar, the inning was finally over.

Eloy Jiménez continued his good spring with a rocket of a home run.

I’m not gonna say it. OK, fine, I’m going to say it, really quickly: “Thanks Cubs,” spring training edition.

Kendall Graveman got a clean inning of work in and was then replaced by José Ruiz to start the bottom of the fifth inning. Ruiz allowed a leadoff home run to Ian Happ, and left Bennett Sousa to try and get out of a bases-loaded situation. Suzuki scored off of a wild pitch, and the Cubs also got another run due to a passed ball to make it 9-5.

I haven’t even gotten to the worst part.

Yes, the next batter up was Nick Madrigal, and yes, he hit a three-run home run to extend the Cubs lead to 12-5. Listen, we got AJ Pollock because of the Madrigal/Kimbrel trade, so I hope that makes everyone a little less mad over the White Sox surrendering a rare long ball to Madrigal in a spring training game.

The Cubs managed to get another run off of Sousa to extend the lead 13-5, due to a Frank Schwindel RBI single.

The South Siders were able to string together a few more runs in the top of the eighth inning, with back-to-back home runs from Xavier Fernández and Danny Mendick to make it 13-8.

After a double by Gavin Sheets, Alex Destino drove him in with an RBI single, trimming the Cubs lead to 13-9.

With Sammy Peralta on the mound, the Bad Guys were able to get two more runs from a double by Miguel Pabon and a single by Jake Slaughter.

Something good to notice is that the White Sox seem to jump out to plenty of early leads, which tends to be with their starters and starting pitchers. That is a good sign, that in games to come the White Sox will be holding more of these leads. Andrew Vaughn is back from his injury and had a three-hit day, and Velasquez also had a solid outing. We will be OK.

The last spring training game will be tomorrow against the San Diego Padres, as the South Siders try and leave Arizona on a good note. Michael Kopech will get the start against Blake Snell, with Super Joe Resis on the game coverage. Game time is at 2:10 p.m. CT.

See you guys in the regular season!