Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (8/19/26): White Sox 3, Cubs 0 – Sox Spin Shutout, Avoid Sweep
The Cubs had a chance to complete a sweep of the White Sox on a bright and sunny day at Wrigley Field on Wednesday afternoon. It was not to be, however, as the road team dominated on the mound by pitching a shutout to salvage the finale.
Clay Holmes got the start and did well, keeping the ball on the ground and allowing only an RBI single by Andrew Benintendi that gave the South Siders a 1-0 lead in the top of the 6th. The North Siders could do almost nothing against opener Sean Newcomb and then bulk man José Urquidy, who has barely pitched in the majors over the past three years.
The Sox added some insurance on a two-run double by Braden Montgomery against Ryan Rolison in the top of the 8th, and Grant Taylor finished off the 3-0 victory in the 9th. (Box score)
Key Moment
With the Cubs trailing 1-0 entering the bottom of the 6th, Tyrone Taylor led off with a double. He then attempted to move up to third on a medium-depth fly ball to right field by Pete Crow-Armstrong and was easily thrown out by Braden Montgomery for a double play.
Why the Cubs Lost
They produced almost nothing offensively, with just five total baserunners.
Stats That Matter
- Holmes was not the problem in this one: 5.1 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 1 K, and 2 BB.
- Taylor had the only two hits for the Cubs.
Bottom Line
Perhaps the excitement of the previous two nights took it out of the Cubs on Wednesday, because they had a very flat performance. Sometimes games like that happen, and it certainly helps when you’ve already won the series. It’s also good that the White Sox and Cardinals are off the schedule for the rest of the season, what with their tendency to be a thorn in the Cubs’ side.
On Deck
After a day off Thursday, the Cubs begin a weekend series against the Mariners in Seattle beginning Friday at 9:10pm CT. Matthew Boyd faces off against Emerson Hancock in a contest televised on Marquee with a radio feed available on The Score.
