Chicago Cubs Spark Home Run That Seals Series Win for National League Lead!

Andrew Benintendi mashed his first homer of the spring for three RBIs in Tuesday’s win. | (Chicago White Sox) Chicago’s (14-11) bats exploded for five runs in the third behind starting pitcher Anthony Kay. The Athletics (12-14) mounted a comeback but ultimately fell short, as the Good Guys carried home the 6-4 victory.

The bullpen was a little rocky at times, but lefthander Chris Murphy was able to shut the door on the A’s and snag the save and secure the win for Kay, now 3-0 on the spring. Kay was excellent through the first four innings and allowed just three hits: a single in the first from Nick Kurtz that turned into a double play on the next batter, a base hit in the second, and a two-out double in the fourth that turned into nothing. He started the fifth out alright with a ground out, but Andy Ibañez took him deep on a hanging slider inside, which was Kay’s only run surrendered.

He struck out one more before being replaced with Jedixson Paez, and outside of the homer, he was efficient and punched out five batters while not walking any. View Link A five-run cushion while on the mound definitely takes the pressure off, and the South Side offense did just that in the bottom of the third. Chase Meidroth led off the rally with a solo shot to right — his first of the spring — and both Colson Montgomery and Miguel Vargas walked to put a couple more runners on for the Good Guys.

Munetaka Murakami came up to the plate in an ideal situation, but he wasn’t the hero here … yet. Mune got Colson to third by tagging on a fly out, but Austin Hays came in clutch, driving an RBI double to right, giving the Sox a two-run lead. Hays’ double was enough for the Athletics to head to the bullpen, but Andrew Benintendi poured some salt in the wound by mashing a 416-foot, three-run shot to right to make it 5-0.