Chicago Cubs Recap: Russell, Contreras homer, Cubs play to a second straight tie

The Chicago Cubs got home runs from Addison Russell and Willson Contreras but for the second straight day, they finished in a tie, 4-4 with the White Sox.

With a pair of home runs, the Chicago Cubs played to a tie with their crosstown rival Chicago White Sox in a Cactus League matchup Monday, ending in a 4-4 deadlock.

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu delivered a go-ahead blow in the top of the fifth off Brad Markey. The slugger belted a two-run homer that put the White Sox ahead by a 3-2 margin.

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Earlier in the frame, another White Sox prospect, Tim Anderson, cut into a 2-0 Cubs lead with an RBI double to center.

In just one inning of work, three earned runs and three hits were charged to Markey, who made his Cactus League debut Monday.

White Sox starter Lucas Giolito, one of the top pitching prospects in the game, made his Chicago debut. He allowed three hits across two innings of work, striking out a pair.

The Cubs battled back, tallying two runs in the seventh to grab the lead back at 4-3 on a Chesny Young RBI single.

It was short-lived, however, as Willy Garcia tied the game with an RBI groundout to know it up at 4-4. The Cubs did make it interesting in the bottom of the ninth.

Fan favorite Munenori Kawasaki singled to start the bottom of the ninth inning. Top prospect Eloy Jimenez had a chance to give the Cubs the win with a big hit, but he struck out on three straight pitches. Kawasaki swiped second, then advanced to third on the throwing error by Roberto Pena. But Juan Minaya forced back-to-back strikeouts from John Andreoli and Young to leave the game deadlocked at 4-4.

The Cubs will go again tomorrow at 2 p.m. CT against the Los Angeles Angels.