Cubs Get Another Boost from White Sox, Win 7-6 on Mike Tauchman's Walk-Off

The Chicago Cubs still have plenty of work to do if they want to win the NL Central. Wednesday's game brought another win over the Chicago White Sox in a carbon copy of Tuesday 's affair.

This time, Mike Tauchman's late-game heroics put the Cubs over the edge. While it's always fun to beat up on the White Sox, this win shouldn't have been so painstaking.

But with a pair of wins in hand and the Philadelphia Phillies providing a sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers, the Cubs gained even more ground in the NL Central standings.

Tale of the Tape

Jameson Taillon's night on the mound was one to forget. On the very first pitch of the game, Corey Julks took him deep to put the White Sox up 1-0. Once again, things weren't going to be easy for the Cubs.

Nico Hoerner reached on a fielder's choice that plated Christopher Morel in the second inning to even the score. Hoerner was later ejected from the game for arguing a strike call in the fourth inning.

Speaking of the fourth inning, it was a nightmare for Taillon. The White Sox hit a single in seemingly every at-bat, and the Cubs quickly found themselves down 5-1.

But the White Sox willingly let the Cubs back in the game by playing their usual brand of sloppy baseball. Allowing two balks in one game is never a recipe for success.

Morel's day was cut short due to fouling a ball off his foot. He made the most of it by reaching base before Patrick Wisdom entered as a pinch runner. The Cubs can't afford to be without a major source of power.

After Cody Bellinger's RBI force out in the fifth inning, Erick Fedde's balk led to an additional Cubs run to make it a 5-3 game.

In a back-and-forth affair between the crosstown rivals, sloppy defense and RBIs from Bellinger and Ian Happ gave the Cubs their first lead of the night.

But in a deja vu moment, Hayden Wesneski immediately gave up a home run in the eighth inning. This time, it was White Sox shortstop Paul DeJong hitting his 10th long ball of the season.

Hector Neris provided a clean ninth inning, positioning the Cubs to face Michael Kopech , a potential trade target, in the bottom half.

Fortunately for the Cubs, Mike Tauchman brought the night to a close with a walk-off home run on the second pitch of the inning. The Palatine Pounder's solo shot handed the White Sox their 13th straight loss.

Takeaways

While a win is a win, it shouldn't have been this hard to beat such a terrible White Sox team.

The Cubs offense is doing a much better job of manufacturing runs. There are still holes in the lineup that need tending to, so it's refreshing to hear Jed Hoyer acknowledging the Cubs' need for more power.

If the North Siders can cement themselves into the buying tier, there should be no excuses for not adding to the lineup and bullpen. The rumblings about Pete Alonso are interesting, but the Cubs should still be seeking a solid catcher too.

What's On Tap Next?

After a fun series at Wrigley Field, the Cubs hit the road for a four-game set against the Cincinnati Reds beginning on Thursday. Javier Assad takes the mound against Reds' righty Hunter Greene. First pitch is at 6:10 PM CT and the game will air on Marquee Sports Network.

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