CHICAGO -- Jameson Taillon returned to the mound at Rate Field in the sixth inning on Saturday night, trying to at least get a few more outs for the Cubs’ pitching staff. After his sixth pitch of the frame, the veteran starter let out a frustrated shout as Andrew Benintendi began a trip around the bases.
A source of stability in recent weeks, Taillon’s issues with allowing home runs returned for the North Siders in an 8-3 loss to the White Sox, evening up the Crosstown Series with the South Side finale looming Sunday. The big righty surrendered a career-high five blasts and has given up a Major League-leading 16 on the season.
White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami went deep twice off Taillon to run the Japanese rookie’s total to 17 on the year so far. Miguel Vargas, Colson Montgomery and Benintendi also cleared the fence against the Cubs’ starter, who saw his ERA climb to 4.97 from 3.94 after allowing eight runs in his five-plus innings.
Benintendi ended Taillon’s outing with a leadoff shot off a full-count four-seamer in the sixth.
Taillon entered the night with a 3.41 ERA across his past five turns (29 innings) for the Cubs, helping a rotation and bullpen that have weathered a number of injury setbacks. The right-hander was part of the starting group setting the tone for the Cubs’ climb to the top of the National League Central over the past month.
It was clear early on that Saturday might not be Taillon’s night.
Sam Antonacci led off with a sharp one-hopper to second baseman Matt Shaw, who could not corral the ball cleanly. Taillon walked Murakami after that single and then left a 1-1 cutter in the heart of the zone to Vargas. The White Sox third baseman launched the pitch out to left for a three-run homer that served as foreshadowing for innings ahead.
The only damage the Cubs did against White Sox righty Davis Martin (1.61 ERA) was a solo homer off the bat of Miguel Amaya in the sixth inning. In the ninth, Pete Crow-Armstrong added a two-run shot off reliever Trevor Richards, but that was the extent of the Cubs’ late push.