With one swing of the bat, a Palatine native ended the first half of the 2024 Crosstown Classic in the Cubs’ favor.
The misery of the White Sox, however, continues.
In a game that started and ended with a solo homer, Mike Tauchman — who hails from Palatine in the northwest suburbs — hit a game-ending drive into the Wrigley Field left-center bleachers on the second pitch of the bottom of the ninth inning off White Sox closer Michael Kopech, lifting the Cubs to their second straight 7-6 victory over the South Siders.
The White Sox led Tuesday’s game, 5-0, and Wednesday’s game, 5-1. But they couldn’t hang on in either one to halt a losing streak that’s now 13 games, which is the longest slide in the majors this season and matches the 1924 team for the single-season franchise record in that ignominious category.
The last-place White Sox are now 15-47 and have led by at least two runs at one point in each of their last five losses, including a sweep in Milwaukee last weekend at the hands of the Brewers.
The White Sox returned to Guaranteed Rate Field trying to avoid a franchise-record losing streak when they open a four-game home series against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night.
The Cubs, meanwhile, won their third consecutive Crosstown Classic game in their final at-bat, including Tuesday’s win, when they scored the go-ahead runs in the bottom of the eighth, and the final matchup of last season, when Christopher Morel hit a walk-off, three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth.
The White Sox host their half of the 2024 Crosstown Classic on Aug. 9-10 at Guaranteed Rate Field, a Friday and Saturday night.
