CUBS 9, WHITE SOX 4at Mesa, Ariz.Friday, March 27
White Sox at the plate: Josh Fields hit a two-run double with two outs in the fourth, his second hit of the game. Carlos Quentin had two hits, both singles. Brian Anderson hit a solo homer in the seventh.
Cubs at the plate: The Cubs sent 11 batters to the plate in a seven-run first inning, which included a two-run double by Koyie Hill and an RBI double by Alfonso Soriano. Soriano#039;s hit was his second in the inning. The Cubs loaded the bases in the third, and added a run on Carlos Zambrano#039;s fielder#039;s choice and a throwing error by shortstop Alexei Ramirez. Ryan Theriot slid home safely, but was tagged hard on the back by A.J. Pierzynski. Kosuke Fukudome, making his first Cactus League start for the Cubs, went 1-for-4 with a single in his first at-bat.
White Sox on the mound: Lefty Clayton Richard was roughed up, giving up seven runs on five hits and two walks over one-third of an inning. D.J. Carrasco lasted longer in relief, giving up two runs, one earned, on three hits in 2 2/3 innings. He struck out the 3-4-5 hitters in the second.
Cubs on the mound: Zambrano gave up two runs on five hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out three, and so far this spring, the Cubs#039; Opening Day starter has walked five and fanned 18 in 22 innings.
Cactus League records: White Sox 12-16-1; Cubs 17-13. The Cubs won the spring series, 3-2. Friday#039;s crowd of 13,327 was a Cactus League single-game record, breaking the mark of 13,311 set March 21 at Camelback Ranch-Glendale between the Cubs and White Sox.
Up next: The Cubs travel down I-10 to Tucson, Ariz., on Saturday at 3:10 p.m. CT to face the Rockies for the second time in five days. Ryan Dempster will start for Chicago, his fifth start and sixth spring appearance. Slotted into the No. 2 spot in the Cubs#039; rotation, this will be Dempster#039;s last long Cactus League outing.