Quero's walk-off blast clinches Crosstown Classic in 10th inning

CHICAGO – With two days off to start this weekend's series against the Cubs, White Sox catcher Edgar Quero had plenty of time to think about Sunday’s finale at Rate Field.

He even visualized a good game in the Crosstown Classic before he took the field behind the plate. He didn’t visualize his walk-off two-run home run off Ryan Rolison with one out in the 10th inning, giving the South Siders a 9-8 victory, and giving them the first series win over the National League Central leaders since 2022.

That sort of prediction would fall in the psychic category. When Quero’s first-pitch, 407-foot connection cleared the wall in left-center, Quero began a celebration encompassing the full meaning of this moment.

The White Sox moved to 24-22 overall in front of 38,608 mostly jubilant fans, marking a third straight sellout. They moved to two over .500 for the first time since Sept. 22, 2022 when they were 76-74, and Quero began to shake off a season-long slump with his first home run of the season and just his second hit in 30 at-bats against a left-handed pitcher.

Was it the greatest moment of the 23-year-old’s career? It was certainly up near the top, at least for now.

“I mean this is big. This is pretty close to my MLB debut,” a smiling Quero said. “I think it’s tied right now. Hopefully I hit another one in the World Series like that, Game 7 to win the ballgame.”

“We've all seen he's been battling a little bit, but he comes in every single day, he doesn't sulk,” White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery said. “He trains his butt off, he's been a good teammate. So it's just one of those things that kind of clicks for him and that was his moment."

Before it was Quero’s moment, Sunday’s series finale belonged to White Sox center fielder Tristan Peters. The Cubs (29-18) took a 3-0 lead in the first, behind a two-run homer from Michael Busch, and held a 4-1 lead before Miguel Vargas’ two-run double off Colin Rea scored the two game-tying runs in the fifth.

Peters broke that tie with a two-out, three-run blast off Phil Maton, marking the first long ball of his career. Peters has established himself as one of the game’s best bunters and showed off his defensive muscles this weekend, but he saved his power display for the most important moment.

“I’ve never experienced anything like that. It was incredible,” Peters said. “Everybody's fired up. It was electric. We know we're a good team, and you can feel it in the clubhouse.”

Before the postgame curtain call came for Peters, the Cubs scored three in the ninth off closer Seranthony Domínguez. It was a walk and a Vargas throwing error, setting up Michael Conforto for a three-run blast to center.

But this Cubs rally didn’t defeat the White Sox, as it probably would have in the last few years.

Even when the Cubs grabbed a one-run lead in the 10th, the White Sox knew they weren’t done. The Cubs finished 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position, leaving 13 on base, and the White Sox didn’t blink at that opportunity.

“It’s a series win, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “Just stack those up. We were able to complete that objective on this one.”

All series wins are not created equal. This was a raucous three-day intra-city battle, where the only things fans from both sides could agree upon was an anti-Packers chant and celebrating two successful marriage proposals. This sort of White Sox effort impressed their crosstown opponents, who received a taste of the White Sox improvement during a post All-Star break series at Rate Field last year.

“I feel like I can relate to a lot of those guys,” said Cubs center fielder Peter Crow-Armstrong of the White Sox. “I appreciate how a lot of them play. It’s a good ballclub and they’re playing good baseball. It’s good for the city that they’ve got two good teams going and having a lot of success this year.”

“Good baseball games, good battles, punches going both ways,” White Sox starter Erick Fedde said. “That’s what leads to a competitive rivalry and that was definitely apparent this series.”

A playoff-like atmosphere ended with Quero, as the White Sox finished their homestand at 7-2. Actually, they are just getting started.

“If we get down, if we get up, this game is so hard and also you know those other guys are good too,” Montgomery said. “But if we just stick to our process and stick to our game, we'll be able to come out on top."