CHICAGO (AP) — Pete Crow-Armstrong homered and drove in a career-high six runs, helping the Chicago Cubs beat the Chicago White Sox 13-3 on Friday in the first meeting of the season between the crosstown rivals.
Seiya Suzuki had two hits and two RBIs for the NL Central-leading Cubs on a warm and windy afternoon at Wrigley Field. Nico Hoerner scored three times, and Cade Horton (2-0) pitched five innings of three-run ball in his first career start.
The Cubs earned their sixth consecutive win against the White Sox, matching a franchise record for the series.
Miguel Vargas went deep twice for the White Sox in his first career multihomer game. He also matched a career high with four hits.
Vargas connected for a two-run drive in the first and a solo drive in the third. But the Cubs went ahead to stay with six runs in the second against Shane Smith (1-3).
With one out and runners on second and third, Michael Busch used a nifty slide to score on Moisés Ballesteros’ chopper to first baseman Andrew Vaughn. Hoerner then hit a grounder to shortstop Chase Meidroth, who made a strong throw to the plate that was dropped by catcher Matt Thaiss for an error.
After Jon Berti struck out looking, Crow-Armstrong hit a three-run drive to right for his 12th homer. Suzuki tacked on an RBI double for a 6-2 lead.
Smith was charged with one earned run and seven hits in five innings. The rookie right-hander struck out five and walked one.
Crow-Armstrong also drove in Hoerner with a wind-aided single in the sixth, and then singled home two more runs in the seventh for a 10-3 lead.
Key moment
Ballesteros hit an RBI single in the eighth for his first hit in his second major league game.
Key stat
Smith has surrendered two homers in 48 1/3 innings in his first big league season. He allowed a three-run shot by Boston’s Rafael Devers on April 19.
Up next
White Sox right-hander Sean Burke (2-4, 4.15 ERA) and Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd (3-2, 2.78 ERA) take the mound on Saturday.