Eloy Jimenez loves playing at Wrigley Field. It could have been his home ballpark for good had the Cubs not traded him away in 2017. You’ll hear no complaints from White Sox fans however as Eloy Jimenez once again participated in his annual home run derby in front of Cubs fans.
Before the game, Jimenez issued a warning. “I feel good,” the left fielder said. “Getting back to Eloy style.” Cubs starter Zach Davies should have listened.
Eloy hit two home runs, one double, and had five RBIs in his first three at-bats. He now has five home runs and 10 RBIs in just 10 games against the Cubs. But Eloy was just one storyline in the White Sox 9-3 thrashing of the Cubs on Sunday night to complete a sweep of their crosstown foe.
Tim Anderson got the party started on the first pitch launching a solo home run to right field. The ball had an exit velocity of 104 mph. Anderson initially wasn’t even in Tony La Russa’s lineup card because the manager wanted to give his shortstop a day of rest. But a pregame switch got him back in the leadoff spot and he made sure to reward La Russa for doing so.
Three batters later Eloy Jimenez pimped a bomb over the center-field fence for a two-run homer. Andrew Vaugh decided to join the party with his own two-run shot that was rifled into the left-field bleachers.
Eloy Jiménez is a bad, bad man. pic.twitter.com/2Qcl8D3DPA
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 8, 2021
The White Sox three home runs in the first inning are their most in the first inning of a game since July 3rd, 2012, when Kevin Youkilis, Adam Dunn, and Alex Rios all went deep. The White Sox three home runs in the top of the first inning are also the most in any road first inning in franchise history.
To add insult to injury another piece of the infamous Jose Quintana trade was dealing on the mound against his former organization. Dylan Cease threw five innings, striking out 10 hitters. He earned the win and improved his record to 9-6. Cease fanned the last four hitters he faced and racked up 13 swings and misses.
Dylan Cease recorded his seventh career double-digit strikeout game and sixth this season. pic.twitter.com/X8lgEcJYgl
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 9, 2021
The White Sox solidified themselves as the new kings of Chicago baseball.
“To come here and take over this park and get all three of them,” Tim Anderson said, “I can definitely say we were the better team this series, for sure.”
While beating a depleted team with a Triple-A caliber roster may not seem like a big deal, the weekend served as a coronation for the White Sox. The White Sox have yet to play at full strength this season. With more and more players returning and a revamped post-deadline roster, the White Sox looks more dangerous than ever. Beating their crosstown rival on ABC served as a coming-out party for the most dangerous team in the American League. The 2016 Cubs are officially a distant memory.
The sweep of the Cubs has the team playing with confidence with a huge series against the Yankees on the horizon. Flexing their muscle on a nationally televised game doesn’t hurt either.
“We’re dangerous,” Anderson said. “Once everything is clicking, we’re dangerous. But no matter what TV it’s on, we should go out and perform and have fun with it.”
