White Sox Steal Series From Cubs Thanks to Two Very Unlikely Heroes
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Chicago White Sox fans may have a cavity the next time they go to the dentist.
Sunday night was the sweetest taste of victory the organization has experienced in quite some time. Knotted up against their crosstown rivals in their first series of the year, the Sox pulled off the upset win on their home field in extra innings. It was undoubtedly one of their most impressive victories of the year. Not only were the stakes the highest yet, but they masterfully dealt with the ups and downs.
The Cubs wasted very little time gaining the advantage. After Nico Hoerner hit his way on base, Michael Busch stepped up to the plate and instantly gave the North Siders a 2-0 advantage. The Cubs would add one more run to the board before the first inning came to an end, putting Erick Fedde on the ropes early.
Nevertheless, the young and frisky Sox didn't waiver. With an equally opportunistic matchup against Colin Rea, the Sox slowly but surely chipped away. They would eventually tie things up 4-4 with a Miguel Vargas double in the fifth inning.
To be frank, it still felt like the Cubs' game to lose. The far more mature team that has been in the running for the National League's top spot, a late-inning victory wasn't anything new for them. Heck, they had won four of their five extra-inning battles already this season. During their two separate 10-game winning streaks, comeback wins were almost expected.
This is why what happened next at The Rate felt downright improbable. To be sure, this group has been surging in recent weeks, and they haven't been above a big-time hit or two. But the players who stepped up in the biggest moments were arguably the last two anyone would have expected.
White Sox Win Thanks to Two Unlikely Heros
With the score still locked up in the bottom of the eighth, the White Sox' Tristan Peters walked up to the plate with two men on and two outs on the board. While he had a prime opportunity to give his team the lead, there is a reason that he sits No. 8 in the lineup. Has he hit better than expected in his first season with the Sox? Sure, but he only entered the day with eight RBIs to his name and a .635 OPS.
Cubs reliever Phil Maton first threw him a sweeper that was fouled away. Then, he followed that up with another sweeper that dropped all too perfectly in the middle of the zone. Peters proceeded to send it 359 feet with a 101.8 mph exit velocity – aka just long enough to clear the right field wall.
To say it was the biggest hit of Peters' career wouldn't be an understatement. This was only his 47th MLB outing, and this home run marked the very first of his big league career.
TRISTAN PETERS FOR THE LEAD AS THE WHITE SOX LOOK TO TAKE THE SERIES FROM THE CUBS pic.twitter.com/bCQVYF4WPL
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 17, 2026
Still, Peters wasn't the only hero of the game. Michael Conforto would go on to tie the game with his own three-run blast in the top of the ninth. The Cubs would be able to force extras but come up cold in their first go at things. This left the Sox with a chance to finish the series in walk-off fashion. And I think you already know where this is going.
After a review proved that Andrew Benintendi was out at first, catcher Edgar Quero was due up. Ryan Rolison started the at-bat with a 95.9 mph four-seamer. And it was a big mistake. Quero hit one 407 feet over the left center field wall to make it a 9-8 victory for the White Sox. The win also put the South Side squad two games over .500 for the first time since 2022.
EDGAR QUERO WALKS IT OFF IN EXTRAS ‼️‼️ pic.twitter.com/X8uP8XIcVo
— White Sox on CHSN (@CHSN_WhiteSox) May 17, 2026
Look, there is no denying that the Sox have played some outstanding baseball in recent weeks. They entered this series as one of the hottest teams in the league with five consecutive wins and an 11-4 record in their previous 15 games. With that said, this was still a stunning win for the organization, especially when we consider who came up in the clutch.
The Cubs lost by giving up a homer to Tristan Peters and a walk-off slam to Edgar Quero. The latter was the team's worst hitter of the season, batting only .159 coming into the afternoon. How did the Cubs let that happen? A better question might be, what secret sauce are the Sox whipping up in the clubhouse? If one thing is for sure, they are hoping there is plenty more of it to go around.
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Elias Schuster is a sports journalist and content creator from the northern suburbs of Chicago. A graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he has covered the Bulls since 2019-20 and previously served as the editor of BN Bulls at Bleacher Nation. He has been the Publisher for Bulls On SI since December of the 2025-26 season. When he isn't obsessing over hoops, Elias spends his time obsessing over practically every other sport – much to his wife's dismay. He also loves strolling the streets of Chicago for the best cozy bar or restaurant to set up shop and write his next article.
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