CI Recap (9/23/18) – Cubs 6, White Sox 1: Hendricks Dominant Again as Cubs Secure Series Win over Sox

Photo of Corey Freedman Corey FreedmanSeptember 23, 2018

Kyle Hendricks continued his stretch of dominant pitching Sunday afternoon against the White Sox and that was more than enough to carry the Cubs to victory in the series finale. The Cubs once again got on the board in the first inning, getting RBIs from Anthony Rizzo, Albert Almora, and David Bote to give Hendricks a 3-0 lead before he even stepped on the mound.

The Professor wouldn’t need any more run suppor than that, as he turned in a gem to pick up his 13th win of the season. He went 7.2 innings while giving up just one run, striking out five, and walking none.

Kyle Schwarber added to the Cubs run total with two RBIs, one coming on his 26th home run of the season and the other on an RBI double. After Hendricks exited, Jorge De La Rosa finished the final 1.1 innings of the game while striking out three batters. (Box Score)

Why the Cubs Won

The offense staked Kyle Hendricks to an early lead, and Kyle took care of the rest. He’s looked an awful lot like the 2016 version of himself that nearly won a Cy Young Award, and that’s great to see if you’re a Cubs fan.

Key Moment

With one out in the first inning, Anthony Rizzo doubled home Daniel Murphy to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead and put runners at second and third. With the way Hendricks pitched, the Cubs drawing first blood felt like a very early turning point in the game.

Stats That Matter

  • Over his last seven starts, Kyle Hendricks has posted a 1.55 ERA and a 0.906 WHIP in 46.1 innings. That’s quite good.
  • Ben Zobrist went 3-6 on Sunday, pushing his batting average to .314 as he tries for a last minute run at the NL batting title.
  • Schwarber’s home run was the first he’s hit off a lefty this season. Good to see him swinging a hot bat after missing some time the last few weeks.

Bottom Line

The Cubs took care of business against the Sox this weekend. It’s always hard to sweep another MLB team, so taking 2/3 here does the trick. The Cubs still hold a 2.5 game lead over the Brewers in the NL Central, with their Magic Number dropping to five. They play the final seven games of the season at Wrigley Field, with four against Pittsburgh and three against St. Louis.

On Deck

The final homestand of the season begins Monday night with Cole Hamels on the mound against Jameson Taillon and the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. First pitch is at 7:05 CT and the game will be broadcast on NBC Chicago.

Photo of Corey Freedman Corey FreedmanSeptember 23, 2018
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