Chicago White Sox at Chicago Cubs

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
CWS	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	0	3	9	0
CHC	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0

Sean Newcomb (1-3, 2.44 ERA) drew the opener assignment for Chicago, exactly as expected — he hasn't stretched past 3 innings in a relief outing all year, and manager Will Venable has been running the staff on a day-to-day bullpen plan since a taxing weekend set against Detroit. Clay Holmes (5-5, 2.49) started for the Cubs off the back of a scoreless outing in his last time out. Both did their jobs, but this one turned into a staring contest that stayed scoreless deep into the game before the White Sox finally broke through.

Show fees

FINAL

Spread

ML

Total

White Sox(65-60)

LLWWW

3

+1.5-156+135o7.5-102

Cubs(74-53)

WWLLW

0

-1.5+156-135u7.5+102

Best BetCubs -141

Postgame

This one didn't come close to breaking right. Holmes was every bit as sharp as advertised, but the Cubs bats never got going behind him, managing just 2 hits and getting shut out at home. The volatility we flagged around Newcomb's opener role ended up cutting the other way entirely, with the White Sox pen out-executing a Cubs lineup that had nothing.

Pregame

Clay Holmes has been about as good as advertised since the Cubs acquired him, and he draws a White Sox lineup that's down both of its projected catchers. Newcomb's strong underlying numbers don't change the fact he's capped at a short opener outing, handing the game to an unproven bulk arm behind him. Chicago's the better team on both sides of the ball right now, and the price still isn't asking much to prove it.

Holmes' line ended up wasted by a Cubs lineup that never found anything to hit, finishing with just 2 hits on the day. Chicago's lineup card is getting thinner by the week, too — Dansby Swanson (oblique) and Matt Shaw (hand) are both out, and Kevin Gausman is day-to-day after a hand cramp cut short his previous start. None of that showed up in a lineup that had just taken the first two meetings of this set.

Sean Newcomb

(1-3)·2.44 ERA

Aug 14 @ Tigers

ND

1.1IP

0ER

2K

1BB

25P

08/19 Lineup

Clay Holmes

(5-6)·2.49 ERA

Aug 14 vs Cardinals

W

6.2IP

0ER

3K

1BB

80P

08/19 Lineup

None of it showed up in the price beforehand, either. Chicago went off as the favorite behind a lineup that had won two straight in this series, including a walk-off single from Alex Bregman two nights earlier — the market had this one leaning north side before Newcomb and Holmes turned it into a bullpen chess match instead.

Both dugouts arrived with real recent form behind them. The Cubs came in off consecutive wins in this set — a 7-5 decision and the Bregman walk-off that erased a late deficit — while the White Sox had beaten Detroit 3 straight just before dropping those same two games to their crosstown rivals.

Chicago White Sox

(65-60)

Aug 19L@ Cubs3-4

Aug 18L@ Cubs5-7

Aug 16W@ Tigers7-5

Aug 15W@ Tigers4-3

Aug 14W@ Tigers9-5

Chicago Cubs

(74-53)

Aug 19Wvs White Sox4-3

Aug 18Wvs White Sox7-5

Aug 16Lvs Cardinals4-11

Aug 15Lvs Cardinals4-8

Aug 14Wvs Cardinals3-0

The injury sheets told two very different stories going in. Chicago's rotation is stretched with Davis Martin and Drew Thorpe both out, and the bullpen is missing Chris Murphy, Jordan Leasure and Prelander Berroa — a big part of why Newcomb was on opener duty instead of a traditional turn through the order. The Cubs, meanwhile, are without Swanson and Shaw up the middle and still waiting on Justin Steele, Ben Brown and a handful of relievers to work back.

Chicago White Sox

(11)

• 10-Day-ILKyle Teel (C) — Teel (ankle) will participate in batting practice Monday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.08/17
• 10-Day-ILJoey Bart (C) — White Sox general manager Chris Getz said Friday that Bart is expected to be sidelined for "over a month" due to a left hand fracture, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.08/07
• 15-Day-ILDavis Martin (SP) — Martin was ejected from Thursday's start against the Reds in the third inning after hitting Sal Stewart with a pitch, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.08/14
• 15-Day-ILChris Murphy (RP) — Murphy will serve as the White Sox's opener for Sunday's game against the Guardians, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.08/07
• 60-Day-ILDrew Thorpe (SP) — Thorpe (elbow) struck out six and allowed one earned run on three hits and no walks across five innings in a rehab start Wednesday with Triple-A Charlotte.08/13
• 60-Day-ILJordan Leasure (RP) — Leasure (forearm) has resumed throwing bullpen sessions, MLB.com reports.08/01
• 60-Day-ILPrelander Berroa (RP) — The White Sox announced Saturday that Berroa (elbow) will start throwing again in 1-to-2 weeks, MLB.com reports.07/07
• 60-Day-ILKy Bush (SP) — Bush (elbow) has resumed participating in long toss, MLB.com reports.07/05
• 60-Day-ILMike Vasil (RP) — The White Sox transferred Vasil (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Tuesday.05/08
• 60-Day-ILTanner Murray (LF) — The White Sox transferred Murray (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list Monday.05/08
• 60-Day-ILBrooks Baldwin (LF) — The White Sox transferred Baldwin (elbow) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday.05/08

Chicago Cubs

(16)

• Day-To-DayKevin Gausman (SP) — Gausman was removed from Tuesday's start against the White Sox with a left hand cramp, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.08/19
• 10-Day-ILMatt Shaw (RF) — Shaw (hand) is scheduled to embark on a rehab assignment Wednesday with Triple-A Iowa, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.08/17
• 10-Day-ILDansby Swanson (SS) — The Cubs placed Swanson (oblique) on the 10-day injured list Monday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.08/17
• 15-Day-ILGavin Hollowell (RP) — Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday that Hollowell (shoulder) has resumed a throwing program, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.08/19
• 15-Day-ILEdward Cabrera (SP) — Cabrera pitched through a blister on his right middle finger during his start in Sunday's 11-4 loss to the Cardinals, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports. He dropped to 5-5 on the season after striking out two batters while allowing seven earned runs on six hits and three walks across 3.2 innings.08/17
• 15-Day-ILPhil Maton (RP) — Maton has been diagnosed with a partial patellar tendon tear in his right knee, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.08/12
• 15-Day-ILHoby Milner (RP) — Milner (abdomen) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, tossing a scoreless inning.07/30
• 60-Day-ILBen Brown (RP) — Brown (neck) is slated to throw against live hitters Friday at the Cubs' facility in Arizona, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.08/19
• 60-Day-ILDaniel Palencia (RP) — Palencia (elbow) will be reinstated from the 60-day injured list ahead of Friday's game in Seattle, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.08/19
• 60-Day-ILRiley Martin (RP) — Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday that Martin (elbow) has been ruled out for the remainder of the season, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.08/19
• 60-Day-ILHunter Harvey (RP) — Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday that Harvey's (triceps/shoulder) rehab hasn't come along as hoped, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.08/19
• 60-Day-ILJustin Steele (SP) — Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday that Steele (elbow) is close to being cleared to face hitters, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.08/19
• 60-Day-ILShelby Miller (RP) — Miller (elbow) began a rehab assignment Sunday at Triple-A Iowa, striking out two batters while allowing one run on two hits and no walks.08/09
• 60-Day-ILPorter Hodge (RP) — The Cubs transferred Hodge (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Friday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.05/08
• 60-Day-ILCade Horton (SP) — The Cubs transferred Horton (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Saturday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.05/08
• 60-Day-ILTyler Austin (1B) — The Cubs placed Austin (knee) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.05/08

None of that mattered once the White Sox bats finally got moving. Chicago scratched a run across in the 6th and tacked on two more in the 8th, and that was more than enough behind a bullpen that shut the Cubs out across all 9 innings.

It's the kind of finale that flips the pecking order for this crosstown set on its head — the Cubs still own the better season record, but Wednesday belonged entirely to the visitors.