CHICAGO (AP) — Luis Robert Jr. at less than 100 percent is still a strong choice for the Chicago White Sox.
Robert hit a tiebreaking solo homer in his return to the lineup, and the White Sox beat the Chicago Cubs 5-3 on Tuesday night.
The All-Star slugger drove a hanging slider from Julian Merryweather deep to left with two out in the seventh inning, giving the White Sox a 4-3 lead at a packed Wrigley Field. It was Robert’s team-high 32nd homer.
“Robert started the game off a little bit with some soreness, but I think that soreness went away quickly after he hit that homer,” manager Pedro Grifol said.
Robert had two hits in his first start since he sprained his right pinky finger during last week’s 9-2 victory over the New York Yankees. He isn’t fully healthy, but he feels as if he is good enough to play.
“As long as I can have a good grip of the bat and I can swing the bat well, it’s going to be OK,” he said through a translator.
Back home after a 3-3 road trip, the Cubs (61-58) wasted a chance to improve their positioning in the NL wild-card standings. Philadelphia, Miami and Cincinnati all lost.
Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki homered for the North Siders, and Kyle Hendricks pitched six innings of three-run ball. It was the first loss in a breakout season for Merryweather (4-1).
After Touki Toussaint departed in the fifth, four White Sox relievers combined for five innings of two-hit ball. Lane Ramsey (1-0) got his first major league win, and Gregory Santos earned his fourth save of the season by striking out three in 1 2/3 innings.
“Their bullpen just made pitches, and they hit our mistakes,” Cubs manager David Ross said.
Ramsey, a 6-foot-9 right-hander who was promoted from Triple-A Charlotte on Aug. 5, had a couple of lineup cards in his locker after the victory. It was his fourth big league game.
“A lot of work has gone into it and a lot of support and love from a lot of people in my life, so it’s just awesome to be here and to just get the opportunity to do it,” he said.
Andrew Benintendi added a two-out RBI double in the ninth, helping the White Sox (48-72) improve to 1-2 against the Cubs this year. The crosstown rivals close out their season series on Wednesday night.
Happ gave the Cubs a 2-1 lead with a two-run drive to right-center in the first. It was his fourth homer this month and No. 14 on the season.
Elvis Andrus responded with a two-run single in the second for the White Sox. But Suzuki tied it at 3 with his 11th homer, a 406-foot drive to left in the fourth.
Suzuki also robbed Andrew Vaughn of a potential RBI single with a sliding catch in right in the third. Hendricks celebrated the play by clapping into his glove.
NO GO
Cubs right-hander Marcus Stroman is dealing with some right rib discomfort, delaying his return from the injured list.
Stroman had been sidelined by right hip inflammation. The All-Star was slated to start Wednesday against the White Sox, but Ross said Stroman had some discomfort in the rib area after throwing a bullpen session Sunday in Toronto. Javier Assad “more than likely” will start the series finale against the South Siders, Ross said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: SS Tim Anderson was scratched because of neck stiffness. Grifol said Anderson is day to day.
Cubs: RHP Nick Burdi (appendectomy) pitched a scoreless inning in a rehab appearance with Triple-A Iowa. … RHP Brad Boxberger (forearm strain) got one out in a rehab appearance with the Arizona Complex League Cubs on Monday. He was charged with three runs, two earned, and one hit. … LHP Brandon Hughes (left knee inflammation) threw a bullpen session on Monday. He plans to throw another one later this week.
UP NEXT
Assad (2-2, 3.12 ERA) pitched seven sparkling innings in a 6-2 victory at Toronto on Friday. Right-hander Mike Clevinger (5-5, 3.55 ERA) goes for the White Sox on Wednesday.
