Interleague play has been with us for 28 years (29 seasons), since 1997. It’s not new, nor is it going away.
The Cubs and White Sox have played at least one series against each other in all 29 of those seasons, now at 149 total games. The series has been competitive, no matter how good or bad the teams were in any given season.
When they the three-game series against the Sox at Wrigley Field in May, the Cubs took over the all-time series lead going into this weekend, 75 wins to 74. In fact, the Cubs have won eight straight from the Sox and have taken 11 of the last 13.
Here is a highly subjective list, in chronological order, of what I think have been the best 10 Crosstown Classic games. You might disagree! That’s what these discussions are for! (Hint: All but one are Cubs wins.)
June 5, 1998: Cubs 6, White Sox 5, 12 innings
Brant Brown hit a walkoff home run at Wrigley Field after the Cubs had blown a 5-2 lead.
Why, yes, we do have video, although the call is from the Sox broadcast and Hawk Harrelson [VIDEO].
July 4, 2004: Cubs 2, White Sox 1
The Cubs blew a 1-0 lead in the top of the ninth when LaTroy Hawkins served up a home run to Carlos Lee.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Cubs loaded the bases. Moises Alou led off with a single and was advanced to second on a sac bunt by Derrek Lee — one of only two sac hits he had in his career. Imagine asking a power hitter like Lee to do that now. An intentional walk to Michael Barrett and non-intentional walk by Ramon Martinez loaded the bases.
Then with a full house on its feet and loud, Todd Walker walked to force in the winning run:
May 20, 2006: White Sox 7, Cubs 0
I suppose this one should be ranked as “memorable” rather than “best,” but I couldn’t leave out the Michael Barrett/A.J. Pierzynski fight game.
Only Barrett was ejected. And of course, there’s video.
And yes, that’s a very young Rich Hill on the mound.
May 19, 2007: Cubs 11, White Sox 6
The Sox led 6-5 going to the bottom of the eighth. David Aardsma, who the Cubs had traded to the Sox the previous winter for Neal Cotts, was on the mound. The Cubs took the lead on RBI hits by Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez, and then loaded the bases.
Derrek Lee was sent up to pinch hit. Lee had missed a handful of games with a minor neck injury and this was his first appearance in five days.
Here’s the entire game. Scroll in to 3:25:00 to see Lee’s slam.
June 13, 2010: Cubs 1, White Sox 0
The Cubs were having a pretty bad year but this game was memorable. Before the game the Blackhawks paraded the Stanley Cup, which they had won four days earlier, around Wrigley Field.
After that, Ted Lilly took a no-hitter into the ninth inning. The Cubs had a 1-0 lead on an RBI single by Chad Tracy (remember him?) in the seventh.
Former Cub Juan Pierre broke up the no-hit bid with a leadoff single in the ninth. Carlos Marmol entered to close things out — this back when he was actually decent — but it was a rough ride. He walked Andruw Jones and balked him to second. After a strikeout, an intentional walk was issued to Alex Rios to load the bases.
Paul Konerko hit into a force play at the plate and Marmol got Carlos Quentin on a fly to center to end the game.
Here’s the whole game. Scroll in to 2:49:25 to see that bottom of the ninth.
June 18, 2012: Cubs 12, White Sox 3
One of the worst teams in Cubs franchise history, a team that would eventually lose 101 games, exploded on the Sox for five home runs (Bryan LaHair, Starlin Castro, Alfonso Soriano, Geovany Soto and Luis Valbuena).
It’s one of three times the Cubs have hit five home runs in a game against the Sox.
Here’s the whole game (in two parts):
Sept. 25, 2020: Cubs 10, White Sox 0
It was the pandemic season so no fans were in attendance to see it, but Willson Contreras smacked two home runs and after one of them, did one of the best bat flips ever:
This game is the largest shutout by either team in the entire Cubs/White Sox regular season series. (The most runs scored by the Sox in a shutout against the Cubs is seven, done twice, once in 2006 — the Barrett/Pierzynski game — and again in 2012.)
Aug. 28, 2021: Cubs 7, White Sox 0
One day after the Cubs were demolished by the Sox 17-13, Alec Mills threw 8⅓ shutout innings against a Sox club that was headed to an AL Central title. Mills ran out of gas in the ninth after 103 pitches by allowing a single and a walk. Codi Heuer, who the Cubs had acquired from the Sox at the deadline in the Craig Kimbrel deal, finished up.
Here are eight minutes of game highlights:
Mills wasn’t a great pitcher, but he did have his moments, including this game and his no-hitter against the Brewers in 2020.
Aug. 16, 2023: Cubs 4, White Sox 3
The Cubs were utterly dominated by Mike Clevinger, who threw seven shutout innings. They managed a run off Aaron Bummer in the eighth, but still trailed 3-1 entering the bottom of the ninth.
Cody Bellinger led off that inning with a double and Dansby Swanson walked.
And then:
Christopher Morel’s walkoff homer led to one of the loudest roars I can remember in the regular season at Wrigley.
June 5, 2024: Cubs 7, White Sox 6
The Sox were on their way to a record 121 losses. The Cubs were muddling around .500.
The Sox took an early 5-1 lead by posting a five-run fourth off Jameson Taillon.
The Cubs made it 5-3 in the fifth and took a 6-5 lead in the seventh.
But the Sox tied it 6-6 on a home run by Paul DeJong off Hayden Wesneski in the seventh. The game remained tied through eight.
Michael Kopech entered to throw the bottom of the ninth for the Sox. He threw ball one to Mike Tauchman. And then… [VIDEO]
The Cubs and Sox had played a similar game the previous day, with the Sox scoring five in the first and the Cubs scoring the eventual winning run on a two-run double by Ian Happ in the eighth. The score was the same: 7-6.
Poll
Which was the best of these 10 Cuhs/White Sox games?
June 5, 1998: Cubs 6, White Sox 5, 12 innings
July 4, 2004: Cubs 2, White Sox 1
May 20, 2006: White Sox 7, Cubs 0
May 19, 2007: Cubs 11, White Sox 6
June 13, 2010: Cubs 1, White Sox 0
June 18, 2012: Cubs 12, White Sox 3
Sept. 25, 2020: Cubs 10, White Sox 0
Aug. 28, 2021: Cubs 7, White Sox 0
Aug. 16, 2023: Cubs 4, White Sox 3
June 4, 2024: Cubs 7, White Sox 6
A different game not listed above (leave in comments)
0%
June 5, 1998: Cubs 6, White Sox 5, 12 innings
(0 votes)
0%
July 4, 2004: Cubs 2, White Sox 1
(0 votes)
0%
May 20, 2006: White Sox 7, Cubs 0
(0 votes)
0%
May 19, 2007: Cubs 11, White Sox 6
(0 votes)
0%
June 13, 2010: Cubs 1, White Sox 0
(0 votes)
0%
June 18, 2012: Cubs 12, White Sox 3
(0 votes)
0%
Sept. 25, 2020: Cubs 10, White Sox 0
(0 votes)
0%
Aug. 28, 2021: Cubs 7, White Sox 0
(0 votes)
0%
Aug. 16, 2023: Cubs 4, White Sox 3
(0 votes)
0%
June 4, 2024: Cubs 7, White Sox 6
(0 votes)
0%
A different game not listed above (leave in comments)
(0 votes)
0 votes total