Playing through rainy, windy conditions at Wrigley Field, Tim Anderson and the Chicago White Sox did just enough to win.
Anderson homered and Jose Abreu made two nice plays at first base, helping the White Sox beat the Chicago Cubs 3-1 on Tuesday night.
The game-time temperature was 45 degrees, and rain blew across the field for much of the night. Even with the extreme weather, each team committed just one error.
Looking to dig themselves out of a rough start, the banged-up White Sox won for the third time in four games. Michael Kopech pitched four-plus scoreless innings, and Jake Burger had two hits.
Anderson led off the third with an opposite-field drive to right-center on Keegan Thompson's first pitch of the inning, making it 3-0 with his fourth homer. The dynamic shortstop is batting .359 (14 for 39) in his last 10 games.
The Cubs went with a bullpen day after they placed left-hander Drew Smyly on the bereavement list before the first meeting of the season with their crosstown rivals. Scott Effross (0-1) got four outs in his first big league start, allowing two unearned runs and two hits.
The North Siders put runners on first and second in the third, but Abreu grabbed Seiya Suzuki's liner and scrambled over to first for the inning-ending double play. The big first baseman started another slick double play in the fifth.
The White Sox threatened in the top of the fifth, loading the bases with one out, but Abreu bounced into a double play that featured a strong turn by Madrigal.
Nico Hoerner got the Cubs on the board with an RBI double in the sixth. Yan Gomes then struck out swinging against Jose Ruiz, stranding runners at second and third.
Reynaldo Lopez (3-0), the first of five White Sox relievers, pitched a scoreless inning for the win. Liam Hendriks got three outs for his sixth save in seven chances.
Right-handers Lucas Giolito (0-1, 2.57 ERA) and Kyle Hendricks (1-2, 5.47) start on Wednesday night. Giolito pitched six innings of three-run ball for the White Sox in a 5-1 loss to the Angels on Friday. Hendricks was tagged for six runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings of an 11-1 loss at Milwaukee last week.
