Cubs 3, White Sox 1
Surging Aramis Ramirez clubbed his 12th homer of the season as the Chicago Cubs defeated the White Sox 3-1 on Sunday to avoid being swept at home by their crosstown rivals for the first time in a dozen years.
Rodrigo Lopez (1-2) earned his first win by pitching seven scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out three.
Starlin Castro’s RBI triple, followed by Ramirez’s two-run homer, gave the Cubs a 3-0 lead in the fourth. Ramirez has 10 RBIs in his last eight games.
Carlos Marmol secured his 17th save in 22 chances this season. Gavin Floyd (6-8) was the hard-luck loser; he fanned eight in seven innings.
Sunday’s win was only the Cubs’ sixth in their last 21 tries against the White Sox. The White Sox have won 10 straight interleague series on the road.
Cubs center fielder Marlon Byrd is now 0-for-6 with two walks since returning to the lineup Saturday after missing more than five weeks. He suffered multiple facial fractures when he was beaned near the left eye in Boston on May 21.