Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Marcus Semien started the Chicago White Sox rally in the eighth with an RBI single to left before Adam Dunn and Alejandro De Aza hit back-to-back home runs off Wesley Wright in the ninth. Chicago Cubs’ reliever Neil Ramirez shutdown the Sox rally with back-to-back strikeouts for a 4-3 Cubs victory in their final Cactus League game at Cubs Park.
Chicago Cubs’ home opener starter, Travis Wood tossed three shutout innings with four strikeouts. Carlos Villanueva also had a strong performance with two perfect innings and struck out two.
Emilio Bonifacio stole second then scored on an Anthony Rizzo RBI groundout before Ryan Sweeney hit his first home run this spring to right field in the second for a 2-0 lead.
Justin Ruggiano hit a double to right-center to advance the lead to 3-0 and Darwin Barney added the eventual game-winning run in the sixth with an RBI single.
After setting an all-time average attendance record for spring training at 14,254 people a game, the Cubs will leave Mesa, Ariz. for Chase Field to play the Arizona Diamondbacks in two exhibition games.