After four months of uncertainty, protracted labor negotiations, and lingering health concerns, baseball is back. The Cubs welcomed the White Sox to an empty Wrigley Field Sunday for the first of three exhibition games before a chaotic 60-game season starts Friday.
Jason Kipnis kicked off the scoring in the bottom of the 1st with a solo homer to center, then Nico Hoerner drove in Willson Contreras with a sacrifice fly to increase the Cubs lead to 2-0 in the 2nd.
Opening day starter Kyle Hendricks looked very sharp early against a tough White Sox lineup before a solo homer followed by a pair of singles ended the Professors’ night in the 5th inning.