Nobody quite knew what to expect as Sale returned to his team for the first time since he was sent home Saturday for destroying the 1976 throwback uniforms the team was supposed to wear that night.
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Chapman entered with a runner on third and two outs in the eighth and struck out Melky Cabrera on six pitches, with four registering 100 miles per hour or higher.
Lackey worked six innings and left for pinch hitter David Ross with two out and runners at first and second. Newly acquired closer Aroldis Chapman, pitching in his second appearance since being acquired from the Yankees, got the final four outs in his first Cubs save to preserve the victory.
After Sale hit Fowler and walked Bryant to start the the third, Zobrist hit a comebacker just past Sale in the third for an RBI single and a 2-1 Cubs lead. The left-hander said they were uncomfortable and became enraged when the team wouldn’t switch them out.
He thought Sale might talk to players a few at a time over the next few days, though Frazier believed it might happen before he pitched Thursday.
Chris Sale returned from his jersey-trashing suspension to smiles and hugs from teammates and pitched well.
“I know you have to write stories and stuff”, Sale said. “I hope it is, too”. It would require a blockbuster of a deal to acquire the 27-year-old pitcher who has finished in the among the top six in AL Cy Young voting in each of the last six seasons, but teams would be chomping at the bit to acquire Sale’s services. Cabrera doubled to right, plating Tim Anderson, who had reached on an infield hit.
Hector Rondon was on to pitch the eighth, and promptly gave up a leadoff double to Tyler Saladino.
TWINS 6, ORIOLES 2 – Rookie Max Kepler continued his midseason surge with a game-tying home run among two hits and two RBIs as the Minnesota Twins rallied to beat the Baltimore Orioles.
“Big moment there”, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said.
Maddon was even mesmerized by the radar gun on Wednesday night while Chapman was on the mound.
After a rough introductory news conference when he struggled to answer questions about a previous domestic violence case, Chapman said he was “ecstatic about the environment”.
Chris Sale found a uniform to his liking, the White Sox traditional road grays.
Cubs: With OF Jorge Soler (hamstring) close to returning, the team will have a hard roster decision. Sale usually has no problem cutting through opposing lineups, but he managed only four strikeouts against the Cubs. When manager Robin Ventura felt powerless to do anything to have the promotion day changed, he went off. Heyward, hampered by a sore wrist, is hitting.229 with four homers and has a.315 slugging percentage. After he got off to a great start this year, hitters knifed through him for a 5.56 ERA over a nine-start span from May 26 through July 8, with 12 homers in 56⅔ innings.
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Yoenis Cespedes hit a go-ahead homer off Adam Wainwright to cap a three-run comeback in the seventh that gave the Mets a 4-3 lead. LHP Jose Quintana (8-8, 2.97 ERA) faces Twins RHP Ricky Nolasco (4-8, 5.40).
