Chicago Tribune

How amusing that the White Sox, or anybody else for that matter, actually thought pitcher John Lackey was targeting hitters in a 7-2 Cubs victory Tuesday at Wrigley Field. Have they paid attention? At this stage of his career, Lackey barely can hit the target behind the plate — a bigger takeaway...

Alyssa Thomas had 20 points, nine rebounds and five assists to help the Connecticut Sun beat the Sky 93-72 on Tuesday night. Chicago was within 65-57 with 1:01 left in the third quarter but didn't score again until Cappie Pondexter's basket with 6:41 remaining. Courtney Williams answered at the...

Cubs manager Joe Maddon doesn't mind using multiple leadoff batters, and the return of Ben Zobrist at the top produced instant results Tuesday in a 7-2 win over the Cubs. Zobrist reached base four times, starting with a leadoff double for his 500th career extra-base hit. The Cubs are now 13-7 with...

Cubs manager Joe Maddon on Kris Bryant's ejection and the five hit batters during the 7-2 win over the White Sox on Tuesday, July 25, 2017. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune)

The highlight of Carlos Rodon's afternoon Tuesday arrived when he stepped to the plate against Cubs right-hander John Lackey. With two on base and two outs in the second inning at Wrigley Field, Rodon ripped the first pitch he saw, a 93 mph fastball, to center field for a two-run double. The rest...

The perfect ingredients to a Cubs-White Sox game were all on display Tuesday at Wrigley Field, making for a near-perfect afternoon. All that was missing in the Cubs' 7-2 victory was a brawl. "Rather enjoyable," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. If you have seen all 110 City Series matchups since interleague...

Kris Bryant felt he had to speak up Tuesday, and it resulted in the first ejection of his major-league career. Home plate umpire Lance Barksdale tossed Bryant for arguing a called third strike in the fourth inning of the Cubs' 7-2 victory over the White Sox. After fouling a pitch off his kneecap,...

Cubs starting pitcher John Lackey on hitting four White Sox batters with pitches during a game Tuesday, July 25, 2017. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune)

Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant on his ejection from the 7-2 win over the White Sox on Tuesday, July 25, 2017. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune)

Cubs relief pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. on his sixth-inning outing during the 7-2 win over the White Sox on Tuesday, July 25, 2017. (Chris Kuc/Chicago Tribune)

Cubs catcher Willson Contreras on the 7-2 win over the White Sox and his confidence behind the plate on Tuesday, July 25, 2017. (Chris Kuc/Chicago Tribune)

He has also played both corner outfield spots, first base, third base and shortstop in the minors. FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman first reported the Swarzak deal was done, and CSN Chicago’s Dan Hayes reported the return was Cordell, a 25-year-old center fielder playing for the Brewers’ Triple-A team....

If you’re looking for a Cubs hero in their 7-2 win over the White Sox at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, then you’d probably start with Willson Contreras. The scorching Cubs catcher stayed scorching, obliterating a Carlos Rodon pitch for a three-run homer in the first inning and driving in another run...

It has taken a season and a half as a White Sox announcer, but Jason Benetti will finally get the chance to call his first Sox-Cubs game Wednesday night. Hawk Harrelson, with whom Benetti will continue to share White Sox play-by-play duties through next season, will be sitting with analyst Steve...

Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon made a firm distinction Tuesday in assessing why he doesn't automatically call for bunts in obvious situations. "Back in the day, it took six singles to score three runs," said Maddon, one day after he eschewed the bunt with the tying and go-ahead runs on base with...