MESA, Ariz.
CUBS 13, SOX 4
Pounded early and often
Left-hander Manny Banuelos walked four Cubs in the first inning and hit another in the second. It was downhill from there.
Banuelos, a former top prospect with the Yankees, has no minor-league options left and would stand a good chance to make the team, although veteran right-hander Ervin Santana has the upper hand as the fifth starter.
Banuelos said he didn’t feel in sync warming up, and it carried over to the game.
Wait, it gets worse
The Cubs pounded relievers Juan Minaya and Aaron Bummer in an eight-run second. Minaya failed to retire any of the six hitters he faced (five hits, including a home run to Kris Bryant, and a walk), and Bummer allowed four hits. He did strike out two, though.
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All or nothing
Jose Abreu homered for the second time in two days, and Adam Engel and minor-leaguer Danny Mendick also went deep. The White Sox started mostly regulars against right-hander Yu Darvish, but their only other hit was a single by catching prospect Zack Collins.
Eloy vs. the Cubs
Top prospect Eloy Jimenez went 0-for-3 against the team that traded him. He is 2-for-14 (.143) with a double this spring.
‘‘It’s just timing,’’ said Jimenez, who hit a pinch homer against the Cubs last spring. ‘‘It’s coming. I know it’s going to get better.’’
Jimenez exchanged hugs and handshakes with members of the Cubs’ coaching staff, including manager Joe Maddon, after the game.
‘‘I know they still love me,’’ Jimenez said. ‘‘That [mutual] love is there.’’
The White Sox Eloy Jimenez exchanges hugs and handshakes with Cubs coaches and players after the Cubs’ 13-4 Cactus League victory Sunday. (Daryl Van Schouwen)
On deck
Angels at Sox, Glendale, 2:05 p.m. Monday, 720-AM, whitesox.com, Trevor Cahill vs. Reynaldo Lopez.
