White Sox even Crosstown Classic with power-heavy win over Cubs

CHICAGO. -- The Crosstown Classic is even.

After the Cubs took Friday night’s opener, the White Sox answered Saturday at Rate Field with an 8-3 win built almost entirely on the long ball.

In front of a sellout crowd of 38,795, Chicago’s South Side became a launch pad.

The White Sox hit five home runs on eight hits, with every run coming by way of the homer.

Miguel Vargas set the tone early, blasting a three-run shot in the first inning to give the White Sox control before the Cubs could settle in.

From there, the Sox offense kept sending baseballs into the Chicago night.

The headline belonged to Munetaka Murakami, who broke out after going six games without a home run.

Murakami hit a solo shot in the third inning, then followed it with a two-run homer in the fifth for his first multi-homer game with the White Sox.

Murakami finished 2-for-3 with three runs, two home runs, three RBIs and a walk.

“It’s not just one person, it’s the full lineup one through nine,” Murakami said. “We are really feeding off each other. It’s a great confidence builder seeing other players get good results, so I just want to be that contributor and contribute to the team and win.”

He had plenty of help. Colson Montgomery added a 442-foot solo home run in the third inning, and Andrew Benintendi went deep in the sixth as the White Sox turned a rivalry game into a power show.

On the mound, Davis Martin helped keep the Cubs from building any serious momentum. He credited the game plan behind the plate and the adjustments made in key counts.

“Great pitch calling, great setups,” Martin said. “We were making adjustments in those 2-3 counts. He was giving great targets on the right side of the plate, so yeah, just really good stuff.”

The Cubs did not go quietly. Miguel Amaya homered in the sixth, and Pete Crow-Armstrong added a two-run shot in the ninth. But Chicago left seven runners on base and could not cash in enough when chances appeared.

After two nights on the South Side, city bragging rights are still up for grabs. The Cubs brought the bats Friday, and the White Sox brought the fireworks Saturday. Now the series is tied 1-1, setting up a Sunday finale with a little extra Chicago spice.