ESPN

As far as scary moments go, Friday’s events for Paul Konerko were right there at the top of his most frightening times in the game.

The White Sox captain was concerned about possible vision loss after getting hit in the head by Jeff Samardzija.

“In the first 20 seconds I had blurred vision and was a little worried,” Konerko said. “Once I realized it was skin that had swelled up over the eye and not the eye itself I was OK in my mind.”

Konerko missed the last two games of the Cubs series over the weekend as he waited for the swelling and bruising to subside around his left eye.

“It was definitely tough not to play those other two games with the wind blowing out 100 mph,” Konerko said. “You don’t want to miss those ones, but that’s the game we play -- sometimes you get hit and have to sit out.”

Konerko totally exonerated Samardzija for the pitch. The Cubs pitcher called Konerko in the Sox clubhouse on Saturday afternoon to see how he was recovering.

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CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox had shown as much consistency over the last month as the city’s weather prior to arriving to Wrigley Field for the weekend showdown.

They won. They lost. Their starters pitched great. Their starters pitched awful. Their bullpen was unhittable and then very hittable. Their lineup followed the same trend and was productive on some days and non-existent on others.

Leading up to Friday, the White Sox had been winless in their previous eight series. They lost five of those series and split three others, and they were 9-15 overall in games during that stretch. The last series they won was a three-game sweep of the Seattle Mariners from April 20-22.

And then, they welcomed themselves to the Friendly Confines.

While the Cubs said goodbye to Kerry Wood in his retirement and dissipated any small hope for this season, the White Sox soared in the opposite direction. They celebrated three consecutive wins over their North Side rival, finishing with a 6-0 victory on Sunday, and swept the Cubs at Wrigley Field for the first time since 1999. They also returned to .500 for the first time since May 2 and moved within 2 ½ games of first place in the American League Central.

All in all, there was plenty for the White Sox to feel good about as they head back to the South Side for six consecutive home games.

“Obviously interleague is a kind of a cool change of pace for everyone, especially with a rivalry with the Cubs,” said White Sox slugger Adam Dunn, who homered on Sunday. “It adds a little extra incentive. For us to go out and play well three games is kind of icing on the cake.”

The White Sox nearly had every component clicking in the three wins.

Starting pitching: Phil Humber, John Danks and Jake Peavy combined to allow 11 hits and two runs in 19 innings in the series.

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CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox went to the power game for a second consecutive day, finishing off the series sweep Sunday with a 6-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

How it happened: With the wind blowing out of Wrigley Field for the first time this season, only the White Sox took advantage, hitting three home runs. It was the second consecutive day the White Sox hit three home runs in a game, matching their season high. Jake Peavy gave up just three hits over 6 1/3 innings. Cubs starter Paul Maholm, who had won his last four decisions, gave up five runs for the first time since giving up six runs in each of his first two starts.

What it means: The White Sox’s domination of the Cubs continued as they improved to 18-6 in the last 24 games of the series. It was the third White Sox sweep in the series and first since 2008. The Cubs have four sweeps in the series. Interleague play on the road seems to agree with the White Sox, who have now won 20 of their last 24 games in NL parks. The White Sox are 10-1-1 over their last 12 interleague series on the road.

Outside the box (Cubs): The Cubs haven’t posted a winning record in interleague play since 2007 and didn’t help themselves this year with the three-game sweep at the hands of the White Sox. The Cubs are now 103-120 all time in interleague play, which started in 1997. They were 5-10 against the American League last season. They went 8-4 in that 2007 season, the last time they had a positive interleague record.

Outside the box (White Sox): Dunn hit two home runs against the Cubs during the weekend series and now has 43 career homers against them. It’s the most home runs Dunn has against one team. The Milwaukee Brewers rank second with 34 home runs. He has also hit 27 career home runs at Wrigley Field. Dunn’s current club remains the only team he has never hit a home run against.

Off beat: In the eighth inning, a Wrigley Field usher in the upper deck managed to get cheers from fans of both teams. When he took away a broom from a White Sox fan celebrating the sweep, he was cheered by Cubs fans. But as he walked the upper deck with it in hand, White Sox fans cheered the broom as it went past.

Up next: The Cubs will take on the Houston Astros on Monday with Matt Garza (2-1, 2.58 ERA) facing Bud Norris (4-1, 3.58) in the 7:05 p.m. start from Minute Maid Park. The White Sox will have an off-day Monday and then take on the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday with Gavin Floyd (3-4, 3.44) taking on P.J. Walters (1-1, 3.65) in the 7:10 p.m. start from U.S. Cellular Field.

CHICAGO -- Just a year ago, Kosuke Fukudome was wearing a blue uniform when the Chicago Cubs clashed with the Chicago White Sox at Wrigley Field.

But after spending a majority of his first four major league seasons with the Cubs, Fukudome now wears black and finds himself on the White Sox’s side of the yearly crosstown rivalry. While there are the obviously differences from a year ago, Fukudome didn’t feel as if his return to Wrigley Field was anything unique.

“It’s just coming back to another ballpark, nothing different,” Fukudome said through translator D.J. Masumoto. “I had some good memories in here, of course, because I used to play here, but now I’m playing for the Sox. I would like to make some memories with the Sox.”

So far, Fukudome hasn’t made many of those on the South Side. After signing a contract with the White Sox in the offseason, he’s played in mostly a pinch-hit role and has struggled at the plate this season.

Entering Sunday’s game with the Cubs, Fukudome had six hits in 36 at-bats and had a .167 average for the season. His start in right field on Sunday marked his first start since May 7.

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CHICAGO -- Chicago White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko will miss his second consecutive game against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday after being hit by a pitch in the face in the series opener.

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As Jake Peavy prepared to pitch in the Crosstown Classic for the Chicago White Sox on Sunday, he couldn’t help but contemplate how close he came to becoming a Chicago Cub.

The 29-year-old pitcher was nearly on his way to the North side via a deal that would have sent five young Cubs players to San Diego when the Tribune Company went into chapter 11 bankruptcy. Then-general manager Jim Hendry was told by his bosses that he could not take on the hefty Peavy contract.

“I thought I was there and I knew it was very close,” Peavy said. “I was excited about it because I love the city and I have all the respect in the world for Jim Hendry and what they were doing at that time (with two straight division titles.) I loved the pitching staff that was in place and I really thought I could help, but I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.”

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CHICAGO -- With Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other world dignitaries taking time out of their busy schedule to watch Koyie Hill swing some lumber, I was tempted to ask them when NATO was meeting to decide the fate of the Chicago Cubs.

My advice: Send in the armed drones!

On second thought, forget government intervention. Cubs fans should emulate the rabble-rousers protesting around the city during the NATO summit.

“What do we want? Wins! When do we want them? Before Theo is done rebuilding the farm system in 2015!”

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CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox made it two consecutive victories in the Crosstown Classic with an easy 7-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.

How it happened: The White Sox did what the Cubs haven’t been able to do much of this season at Wrigley Field: hit home runs in clusters. Dayan Viciedo, A.J. Pierzynski and Adam Dunn all got into the act by going deep as the White Sox have now taken the first two games this series. Using a lineup dominated by right-handed bats, something that hasn’t brought much success, the Cubs were no match for White Sox lefty John Danks, who gave up just three hits in 6 1/3 innings. Alfonso Soriano and Joe Mather each hit two-out two-run homers for the Cubs in the ninth off Sox reliever Zach Stewart to break up the shutout.

What it means: The White Sox’s victory means they have won six of the last seven games in the cross-town series. The only game they lost in that stretch was the final meeting between the teams last season. Going back to 2009, the White Sox have now won 13 of the last 17 games between the teams.

Outside the box (Cubs): After giving up a combined four earned runs over his first five starts, Ryan Dempster has now given up four runs in each of his last two outings. His lack of support continued. Dempster entered by getting three or fewer runs of support over five of his previous six starts. His 2.52 runs of support per game dating back to Aug. 16 of last season was the second lowest in the major leagues.

Outside the box (White Sox): Saturday’s victory guaranteed the White Sox their first winning series in nearly a month. The White Sox have gone 0-5-3 in their previous eight series. The last series they won came in a three-game sweep of the Seattle Mariners from April 20-22.

Up next: In the series finale, the White Sox will send right-hander Jake Peavy (4-1, 2.65 ERA) to the mound on Sunday. The Cubs will go with left-hander Paul Maholm (4-2, 4.35) in the 1:20 p.m. start from Wrigley Field.

The aftermath of hitting Chicago White Sox captain Paul Konerko with a pitch on Friday was a bit surprising to Chicago Cubs starter Jeff Samardzija.

The split-finger fastball that tailed up and in to Konerko’s face has been interpreted as a purpose pitch on some national television broadcasts.

“I think those things create a big stir when things actually do happen,” Samardzija said. “In those cases you have to use common sense and know that I have him 0-2 and I’m throwing a splitter at 84 mph. I am not trying to hit him, I want to strike him out. There are times that you look at (a hit by pitch) as pretty obvious what has happened. Mine definitely wasn’t (intentional), but you have to have something to talk about.”

Samardzija was so concerned about Konerko’s health that he checked updates on his condition and tried calling Konerko after batting practice Saturday.

“Knowing that I did not hit Paul intentionally helped me move on after the game,” Samardzija said. “I did have to get over the initial hump of seeing a guy you know and respect take one over the eye. That is one spot for baseball guys that is sacred, around your vision. I’m sure it was a scary one for him but I had to get over the fact. It was an accident. Everyone knows Paul is a tough guy and he will bounce back big. I got word is he is all right and will be back soon so I wish him the best.”

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The praise for Kerry Wood, who pitched his final major league game on Friday, was quick to come from both sides of Chicago.

Former Chicago Cubs player and Hall of Fame pitcher Fergie Jenkins on Twitter: “Much respect for Kerry Wood. A true #Cub.”

Chicago Cubs first baseman Bryan LaHair: “Wow, that was pretty incredible just to see the fans' reaction and obviously (to) carry his son off the field like that, it was a pretty special moment. I'm pretty honored to be a part of that.”

Chicago Cubs pitcher Jeff Samardzija: “Woody was here when I got here in ’08. He was a great guy helping young guys and really showing everyone how to play this game the right way. He’s done great things for this team and this organization. It’s a tough day. It’s not a good day when Kerry Wood retires. Hopefully we’ll remember all the things he did great and all the great things he did for the city and remember him for that. Hopefully he decided to stick around a little bit and bug us. That would be nice.”

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CHICAGO -- Chicago White Sox pitcher Philip Humber and Chicago Cubs first baseman Bryan LaHair disagreed Friday whether Humber intended to throw at LaHair in retaliation for White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko being hit by a pitch.

Konerko was hit in the head by a splitter from Cubs starter Jeff Samardzija in the top of the third inning. Konerko suffered a small laceration above his eye and swelling and was taken to the hospital for testing. He did not return to the game.

After pitching to Samardzija and three other Cubs hitters in the bottom of the third, Humber’s first pitch to LaHair in the bottom of the fourth, a high fastball, soared behind LaHair’s head. The pitch resulted in home plate umpire Tim Timmons issuing warnings to both dugouts.

“That just got away from me,” Humber said. “It’s one of those things that happens during the game.”
LaHair didn’t see the pitch the same way.

“Definitely felt like it was intentional,” LaHair said. “They waited a whole inning and then the first pitch was right at my head. I'm all right with getting hit and stuff like that, I understand, but when you start getting around people's heads that can be scary. It is what it is. Nothing happened. I didn't get hurt or anything so move on from it.

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A gorgeous, sunny day and breaking news of Kerry Wood's pending retirement couldn’t prevent the Cubs and White Sox from posting a record for low attendance.

The announced crowd of 34,937 was the lowest single-game attendance for a game between the Cubs and White Sox since the inception of interleague play in 1997. The previous low was 35,155 at US Cellular Field last year.

The news about Wood’s decision to retire came at about 9 a.m. CT. That the Cubs reliever planned to pitch in one more game before calling it a career seemingly didn’t do much to bolster ticket sales.

When Wood struck out 20 Astros at Wrigley Field on May 6, 1998, the announced attendance was only 15,758. The first Cubs vs. White Sox interleague game on June 16, 1997 drew 36,213 to Wrigley Field. The Cubs beat the White Sox 8-3 in that game, behind three hits from Ryne Sandberg.

CHICAGO -- If there is one place where trouble might find you this weekend, it’s downtown Chicago, where the NATO summit is attracting hordes of protestors and the possibility of violence and chaos.

In related news, mayhem is coming to Wrigley Field, too. Alfonso Soriano and Adam Dunn sharing left field? I broke my UZR just thinking about it.

Kerry Wood, the provincial saint of lost causes, unwittingly coined the catchphrase for this weekend’s crosstown series when he snapped at a reporter after being asked about throwing his glove last week.

“Irrelevant, dude.” Two words that describe Chicago baseball in 2012.

Hey, it’s better than “It’s a Way of Life” or “Baseball is better” or “Appreciate the Game.” You know, the ones the Cubs and Sox actually use.

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Bruce Levine
Welcome to the chat! Ready to talk about both the hottest and coldest teams in baseball.

Grant B. (Burnsville, MN)
Hey Bruce, how much longer are the Cubs giving Soto to get his bat figured out? I assume he's on the block right now? He must have some serious intangibles behind the plate to be keeping Clevenger on the bench and Castillo at AAA!

Bruce Levine
You have to be careful when you trade a catcher. The unknown is whether Clevenger and Castillo can catch in the bigs everyday. Calling a game and endurance are a huge part of what a major league catcher is all about, not just results on offense. Teams would be interested in Soto, but like with any commodity, you try not to sell at the bottom.


Kevin Ryan (West Lafayette)
Do you think the Sox should send Gordon Beckham to the minors for a month or two, maybe just to let him find his groove? He has great potential and can be a great asset to this team.

Bruce Levine
Potential in his 4th year is something that people question at this point. What you see is what you might be getting -- a top quality defender and a .250-.260 hitter.


Dave (Northside)
With the Cubs picking up so much of Marlon Byrd's salary, is the ptbnl from the Red Sox going to be anyone special?

Bruce Levine
It's going to be a pitcher, most likely a left-hander that the Cubs have to choose from a list of players that they were given by the Red Sox. Now the Cubs are scouting those players to determine which one they want.

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MIAMI -- On the day he returned from a team-imposed five-game suspension, Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said Tuesday he will now be on an indefinite self-imposed probation.

Meeting the media for the first time since he apologized to the Cuban American community for praising Cuban dictator Fidel Castro's ability to stay in power for so long, the former longtime Chicago White Sox player and manager continued to say he is sorry.

"I put myself on probation ... me, nobody else," Guillen said. "It's probation about growing up and being better, and be careful to not trust too many people. That was my problem."

There were no reports of any major demonstrations outside of the new Marlins Park, located in a Miami neighborhood known as Little Havana. The lack of a major protest didn't make Guillen any less sorry for the pain caused by his comments.

"I don't expect everybody to be 100 percent on board with me. I don't," Guillen said. "That's the way life should be. But what I (talked) about for 40 to 50 minutes last week (during his apology) was from the bottom of my heart. I meant every word I said."

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