Cubs' Cody Bellinger the first left-handed batter to homer off Garrett Crochet in 7-6 win against White Sox

Cubs designated hitter Cody Bellinger turned on a low cutter from White Sox ace Garrett Crochet and hit a moon shot into the right-field stands

It was the first home run Crochet had given up to a lefty in his career.

“I knew it was a tough at-bat, and didn't know the exact numbers,” Bellinger said after the Cubs’ 7-6 win against the White Sox Friday. “So just kept it simple.”

The Cubs pounced on White Sox ace Garrett Crochet for six runs in 2 1/3 innings.

Leadoff hitter Ian Happ got things started with a solo homer, his sixth career leadoff home run. With one out, Seiya Suzuki singled in front of Bellinger.

Bellinger was returning from a one-game hiatus for a sore hamstring and didn’t seem to miss a step.

In the third inning, Bellinger singled to initiate another rally. Then Isaac Paredes and Hoerner hit back-to-back home runs.

The Cubs knew Crochet had been on a pitch limit, throwing between 64 and 77 pitches in his previous three starts.

His pitch count had already risen to 67 Friday when he left the game.

Cubs starter Jameson Taillon, on the other hand, cruised through the first three innings before giving up four runs in the fourth.

“Thank God we had that lead because it allowed me to fill up the zone and challenge guys and see if they would hit it at people,” said Taillon , who totaled five runs and nine hits allowed in five innings. “So, kudos to the offense for coming out ready.”

The Cubs’ lead just barely held. And the Cubs beat the White Sox by a score of 7-6 for the third time this season. It was the third time in franchise history that the Cubs beat a team three straight times by the same score, according to team historian Ed Hartig.

Favorable schedule

For the first time this season, the Cubs have just two games in between off days. They have four off days in a span of 12 days, which is quite the contrast to a May schedule that included only two off days.

Manager Craig Counsell shrugged off a question about the Cubs’ advantageous strength of schedule the rest of the month – six of their next seven opponents have losing records.

He pointed to the Cubs’ series sweep in Baltimore, which he said might have been their “best series of the year.” At the time, the Orioles had the best record in the American League.

Regardless, the playoffs are a long shot for the Cubs. Entering Friday, Fangraphs gave the Cubs a 6.7% chance of making the postseason.

Injury updates

Bellinger, working back from a fractured left middle finger, has served as the designated hitter in his nine games back from the injured list. He was scheduled to throw Friday before the game and “kind of push it,” Counsell said. Counsell was “cautiously optimistic” that Bellinger could get back in the outfield next week.

Right-hander Hayden Wesneski (strained right forearm) traveled to Arizona to continue his rehab progression at the Cubs’ Mesa complex.