The Chicago Cubs have a golden chance to crush the White Sox in their own backyard, but the clock is ticking. Wednesday’s game at 1:20 CT is not just another matchup; it is the final chance to complete a rare sweep of their crosstown rivals. The Cubs have already won the first two games of this series, a feat they have achieved 18 times this season. History says they are likely to lose this third game. In ten of the previous 18 times they won the first two, a third game was played, and the Cubs split those outcomes five and five. This is a coin flip that feels like a trap.
The Day Game Curse
Wrigley Field looks different when the sun is high, and the stats prove it. Their daytime record this season stands at 27-26, contrasting sharply with the 46-27 mark they hold under lights. They finished last season with a solid 43-32 mark in sunshine, but that was a different team. This squad struggles to find their rhythm when the shadows are short. At home during the day, they sit at 17-12, a total that features a 10-5 run in daytime contests played after a night game. The team played the previous night, so they are 10-5 in this specific spot. It is a small sample size, but it is a clear trend that fans ignore at their own risk. The White Sox will try to exploit this weakness all afternoon.
Pete Crow-Armstrong Is on Fire
One player is carrying the offense on his shoulders, and his name is Pete Crow-Armstrong. He has been absolutely unstoppable in August, hitting .278 with a .611 slugging percentage in 17 games. He has crushed seven home runs and driven in 16 runs while scoring 13 times. He also stole five bases without getting caught once. This kind of production is rare for a rookie, yet he is doing it every single day. Per Bleed Cubbie Blue, his stats include four doubles and a triple to go with those home runs. The lineup is built around him, and the White Sox have no answer for his speed and power. Clay Holmes starts for the Cubs and has been lights-out, allowing just one hit in his last start against the Cardinals. He has faced the White Sox before and held them to one run. The White Sox are using an opener, Sean Newcomb, who has not thrown more than 33 pitches since June. He will likely leave after two innings, leaving the bullpen exposed.
The Final Test
The Cubs have won eight straight home games against the White Sox, a streak that started with the final game of 2023. Their previous longest home streak in this rivalry was only four games. They have won four of their last three-game sweeps at home against other teams like the Dodgers and Mets. But winning the third game against the White Sox is different. It requires a mental toughness that the Cubs have shown in other series but not always here. The team has won seven of 13 series where they took the first two games, but they lost five of them. This game will define the rivalry for the rest of the month. If they win, they prove they can close out the Sox. If they lose, the rivalry remains a messy, split affair. The numbers are clear: Pete Crow-Armstrong is the key, and the day game is the obstacle.
