Morning Box Score

By Matt Motyka in News on Aug 16, 2009 3:30PM

Cubs Handle Pirates
The Cubs' 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates wasn't quite as flashy as Friday's win, but it earned them the series and kept step with division-leading St. Louis. In the bottom of the first, Derrek Lee avoided a tag at second base (ahem) to keep the inning alive, and Jeff Baker plated the Cubs' first run with an RBI knock back up the middle. Former Pirate Tom Gorzelanny helped his own cause in the second when he drove home Geovany Soto and then turned around to strike out the side en route to five shutout innings for Chicago. Baker again made some noise in the sixth, when his solo jack gave the Cubs their third run of the ballgame, and the bullpen put it on cruise control for the rest of the way. The Cubs are expecting to have Aramis Ramirez back in the starting lineup for today's affair, as they shoot for the sweep at 1:20 this afternoon.

Sox Drub A's
The White Sox beat the Oakland Athletics with ease on Saturday, winning by the score of 8-1. The top of the Sox's order went 5-for-11 with two walks and six RBI, and Jim Thome tied Reggie Jackson on the career-home run leaderboard with blast no. 563. Jayson Nix also went yard for Chicago, giving the Sox an early 2-0 advantage, and extended the lead to four with a sac fly in the next inning. The offensive outpouring made life easy for winning-pitcher Gavin Floyd, who minimized the impact of eight Oakland hits during his seven innings on the hill. The Sox hope to bust out the brooms this afternoon before trekking eastward for a three-game set with the Royals.