Contreras ignites intracity victory

CHICAGO — Willson Contreras drove in four runs and Carl Edwards Jr. provided some timely relief, helping the Cubs beat the White Sox 7-2 on Tuesday.

Ben Zobrist reached four times from the leadoff spot as the Cubs won for the ninth time in 11 games since the All-Star break.

John Lackey (7-9) became the first pitcher in two years to hit four batters but worked into the sixth inning.

The AL-worst White Sox were unable to overcome a strange performance by Carlos Rodon (1-4) in their 10th loss in 11 games. The left-hander matched a career high with 11 strikeouts and smacked a two-run double for his first career hit but lasted just four innings in his third straight loss.

Contreras helped the Cubs get off to a fast start with a three-run drive in the first for his 16th home run. He singled in the third and drove in Jon Jay with another base hit in a two-run sixth.

The Cubs carried a 4-2 lead into the sixth, but Lackey was pulled after the White Sox put runners on second and third with none out. Edwards came in and struck out Tyler Saladino, induced a comebacker from Melky Cabrera and then struck out Jose Abreu to end the inning.

Both benches were warned by plate umpire Lance Barksdale after White Sox reliever Chris Beck hit Ian Happ with a pitch in the fifth. Lackey had hit three batters in the top half of the inning, including Abreu for the second time.

Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant was ejected for the first time in his career for arguing a called third strike with Barksdale in the fourth. The 2016 NL MVP went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts.

Cubs infielder Javier Baez went 0-for-5 with five strikeouts. The Cubs struck out 17 times.