Edgar Quero delivered a 10th-inning, two-run home run off Cubs reliever Ryan Rolison to walk off Chicago’s crosstown rival and give the White Sox a 9-8 victory, according to the report. The blast capped a wild game and completed a two-of-three series win for the home team.
Quero said he had envisioned the moment the night before and that upon making contact he felt it was deep, though he was not certain it would clear the fence, per the report. The left-center shot sent the sellout crowd to its feet and followed several dramatic swings in the late innings.
The result is another sign of progress for a White Sox club that endured three straight 100-loss seasons and, per the report, now finds itself in the early hunt for a postseason berth with a winning record. Starter Erick Fedde praised the clubhouse mentality, saying the team has considerable belief in itself after beating a quality opponent in a difficult atmosphere.
The report says the White Sox homered 10 times in the series, bringing their season total to 64 and tying them for the second-most in MLB behind the New York Yankees’ 67. Center fielder Tristan Peters supplied one of the late shots Sunday, hitting his first career home run in the bottom of the eighth to break a 4-4 tie; that drive came off Cubs reliever Phil Maton.
Maton, whose ERA rose to 9.49 after signing a two-year deal over the winter, has seen his misses end up in prime hitting spots, the report notes, and Cubs manager Craig Counsell said the club needs improvement. Michael Conforto tied the game with a three-run homer in the ninth, and the Cubs scored in the top of the 10th but left the bases loaded before Quero ended the game in the bottom half.
The game featured several notable defensive plays and heated moments, including a crash into the wall by Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and a misplayed leaping attempt that turned into a two-run double for Miguel Vargas, per the report. The teams are scheduled to meet again at Wrigley Field in August.
