Chicago Baseball On Top! Cubs, White Sox Win Opening Day Match-ups

It’s a wonderful time to be a Chicago baseball fan. The Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs each won their Opening Day games on March 27th, giving them the slightest advantage in the standings after day one.

Angels vs White Sox:

Following the worst season in MLB history, the White Sox had something to prove. And on March 27, they did just that, showing they were lightyears different than their 2024 squad.

Starter Sean Burke, making his first-ever Opening Day start for the Sox, was excellent. He allowed no earned runs, gave up just 3 hits, and struck out 3 batters over six strong innings.

Offseason acquisition Austin Slater started the fireworks for the Sox with a solo home run in the 2nd inning off Angels' starter Yusei Kikuchi. Before the inning was over, Miguel Vargas added two more runs with a blooper that dropped into center field.

After a quiet few innings, the White Sox exploded for 5 runs in the 8th inning. Andrew Benintendi hit a three-run homer, and Lenyn Sosa added a two-run shot to give the Sox an 8-0 lead going into the 9th.

The Angels avoided a shutout when Logan O'Hoppe hit a solo home run in the 9th, but the game was already decided.

Final score: 8-1 CWS

Pitching Performances:

• White Sox: Sean Burke (W, 1-0) - 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

• Angels: Yusei Kikuchi (L, 0-1) - 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 5 K

Cubs @ Diamondbacks:

The Cubs came into this game with a 0-2 record after losing two games to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Tokyo Series the previous week. This was a big game for the Cubs as they had already fallen behind in the standings before Opening Day began.

Justin Steele was on the mound for the Cubs and had to face off against an elite arm in Diamondbacks' Zac Gallen.

The D-backs took an early lead when Josh Naylor hit an RBI single in the bottom of the first. The Cubs quickly answered with three runs in the top of the second. Ian Happ doubled, bringing in two RBIs, and Kyle Tucker added another with an RBI single to give the Cubs a 3-1 lead.

D-backs third baseman Eugenio Suárez made it a 3-2 game with a towering home run in the second inning, but Ian Happ responded with a solo shot in the 4th to extend the Cubs' lead to 4-2.

Both teams continued trading blows. The Cubs added three more in the 5th and another in the 6th to make it 8-3. But the Diamondbacks wouldn’t back down, scoring two more in the 6th to make it 8-5.

Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya sealed the deal with a two-RBI double in the 9th, pushing the Cubs’ lead to 10-5. The Diamondbacks got one run back in the 9th, but new closer Ryan Pressly shut the door to secure the 10-6 victory for the Cubs.

Final score: 10-6 CHC

Pitching Performances:

• Cubs: Justin Steele (W, 1-1) - 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 2 K

• D-backs: Zac Gallen (L, 0-1) - 4.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 5 K

With Opening Day wins in their pockets, the excitement is just beginning. If these games are any indication, this season could be one for the books. Let’s see if both teams can continue building momentum and make Chicago baseball elite.