Mixed bag for prospects Giolito, Moncada vs. Cubs

MESA, Ariz. — The White Sox played the Cubs to a 4-4 tie Monday. Second baseman Yoan Moncada and right-hander Lucas Giolito, highly-touted prospects acquired in separate off-season trades, made their first starts – in an atmosphere at sold-out Sloan Park that Moncada was looking forward to.

Moncada struck out twice, once looking, in two plate appearances but dived to his right to spear an Anthony Rizzo ground ball to start a double play. That one limited the damage against Giolito, who escaped the first inning after Kyle Schwarber and Kris Bryant singled. Facing the Cubs top lineup, Giolito served up a homer to Addison Russell in the second and finished with a run allowed on three hits with two strikeouts.

Giolito generally features mid-90s velocity, but his fastball sat in the low 90s. Russell tagged what the 6-6 right-hander called a “flat” four-seam fastball.

“It’s a pretty packed stadium, adrenaline going, I got a little quick, got a little ahead of myself and missed,” Giolito said, “especially with the four-seam fastball. I missed quite a few.’’

First-round draft choice Zack Collins singled to center in his only at-bat. Collins, a catcher, has looked like a polished hitter in camp.

Two-fers

Jose Abreu and Tim Anderson each had two hits, Abreu a home run against Brad Markey, and Anderson a double in the same inning.

Pitching lines

Tommy Kahnle faced eight batters and struck out two but gave up two runs on three hits and a walk. Juan Minaya, who has impressed this spring, pitch a scoreless eighth and ninth, and striking out Chesny Young with the winning run on third to end the game.

On deck

Split squads Mariners at Sox, Glendale, Mesa, 2:05, whitesox.com, Michael Kopech vs. Felix Hernandez; Sox at Reds, Goodyear, Reynaldo Lopez vs. Brandon Finnegan.