CHICAGO (AP) - Scott Carroll was fighting himself for much of the night. That made the game much easier for the Chicago Cubs.
Carroll yielded two of the Cubs’ three homers, and the Chicago White Sox went on to a 12-5 loss in the finale of the city series on Thursday.
“It was just a situation where I didn’t have my best stuff tonight,” he said. “I left a few pitches up when I obviously didn’t have the ability to do so. Kind of just fighting it the whole time.”
Carroll was charged with 11 hits and six runs in four-plus innings. The 29-year-old rookie right-hander also hit two batters and walked two after he pitched well in each of his first two major league starts.
“Tonight, he just didn’t seem to have it, locating like he did in the last couple games, but they swung it,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “It just wasn’t our night. We just weren’t pitching that great.”
Anthony Rizzo, Starlin Castro and Mike Olt homered for the Cubs, who had lost four in a row. Rizzo had three hits and scored three times in a game that took 4 hours, 7 minutes.
The Cubs put it away with five runs in the eighth, highlighted by Olt’s first career grand slam. Maikel Cleto also hit Welington Castillo with a pitch with the bases loaded, ending the White Sox bullpen’s shutout streak at 23 1-3 innings.
Olt also batted with the bases loaded in the third and popped out to shortstop.
“I was upset with myself because with less than two outs I’ve got to at least get someone in, move someone over,” he said. “I got to do my job. To get another chance late in the game and come through like that definitely helped.”
The Cubs finished with 15 hits after managing just five runs and 12 hits in the first three games against the White Sox.
Alexei Ramirez had four singles for the White Sox, who had won four in a row. Conor Gillaspie went 2 for 4 with a walk in his first action since he was activated from the disabled list Wednesday after being sidelined with a bruised left hand.
The White Sox got Adam Dunn back after he missed a game due to a bruised right calf, but rookie slugger Jose Abreu was hampered by a left ankle injury. Abreu, who is off to a terrific start with 12 homers and 35 RBIs, hobbled down the line each time he put the ball in play.
“He just seemed like he was limping a little bit tonight, that’s why in the end there I (took) him out,” said Ventura, who had Marcus Semien hit for Abreu in the ninth. “But he says he’s fine.”
Abreu did not speak with the media after the game.
The Cubs jumped on Carroll (1-2) for four runs in the third, sending 10 batters to the plate. Luis Valbuena singled in Ryan Kalish before Rizzo hit a drive to center for his seventh homer.
Rizzo also walked and scored when Castro connected in the fourth. Castro went 1 for 15 with two walks during the Cubs’ losing streak.
“Just got to tip my hat off to them,” Carroll said. “They made some good at-bats against me.”
The White Sox got two runs back in the fourth on RBI singles by Gillaspie and Tyler Flowers. But five Cubs relievers combined for five innings of one-run ball after Jake Arrieta’s shaky outing. Brian Schlitter (2-0) got five outs for the win.
Arrieta allowed four runs, three earned, and nine hits in four innings. He pitched 5 1-3 scoreless innings in a no-decision against St. Louis on Saturday in his first start of the season.
NOTES: White Sox ace Chris Sale (left arm) felt fine after throwing a bullpen session Wednesday, and Ventura said the left-hander probably will throw again on Saturday. “He’s progressing. He doesn’t feel anything,” Ventura said. “In talking to him, he says everything feels good.” Ventura thinks the team will have a better idea this weekend about a rehab schedule for Sale. … White Sox RHP Andre Rienzo (2-0, 4.50 ERA) and Diamondbacks RHP Brandon McCarthy (1-5, 4.67 ERA) square off Friday night in the opener of a weekend series in Chicago.
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Jay Cohen can be reached at https://www.twitter.com/jcohenap
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