CHICAGO (AP) — Yu Darvish pitched seven sturdy innings for his NL-leading eighth win, Willson Contreras homered twice and the Chicago Cubs moved to the brink of clinching the NL Central title by pounding the crosstown White Sox 10-Zero Friday evening.

Victor Caratini, Kyle Schwarber and Javier Baez additionally went deep as Cubs used the longball to interrupt out of an offensive funk and finish a three-game shedding streak. They decreased their magic quantity for securing the division crown to at least one recreation after St. Louis break up a doubleheader with Milwaukee.

The fading White Sox managed simply three hits off Darvish and misplaced their season excessive sixth straight. Just like the Cubs, the South Siders have secured a playoff spot, however slipped right into a tie for second place within the AL Central with Cleveland.

Darvish (8-3), a contender for the NL Cy Younger Award, struck out 5 and walked one as he cruised to his first win since beating the Cardinals on Sept. 4. In three begins previous to Friday, the right-hander from Japan slipped from his earlier groove and was 0-2 with a 4.26 ERA.

Contreras hit a three-run shot of Dylan Stop (5-4) within the third. He greeted White Sox utility man Yolmer Sanchez, who pitched the ninth, with a solo shot for his eighth profession multi-homer recreation.

Baez drove a double into the right-center area hole in opposition to Sanchez whereas batting left-handed, his second time swinging from that facet of the plate in his main league profession.

The longball as soon as once more damage Stop, who gave up 5 hits — and three of the Cubs’ 5 homers — in Four 2/Three innings. The 24-year-old righty has allowed 27 homers in 26 profession begins.

The Cubs entered the sport with a .220 group batting common, fourth lowest within the majors.

The White Sox performed with out outfielder Eloy Jiménez, who has a sprained proper foot and is probably going sidelined for the season-ending collection.

Schwarber lofted a full-count pitch simply over the left-center wall within the second for this 11th homer and a 1-Zero lead.

Contreras muscled a excessive 1-1 pitch the alternative solution to the proper area bullpen with two runners aboard within the third to open it to 4-0. It was his sixth house run.

Baez, who entered batting simply. 196, led off the fourth along with his eighth homer, a solo drive to left-center that made it 5-0.

Caratini added a two-run shot off Gio Gonzalez within the sixth earlier than the Cubs tacked on unearned runs within the seventh and eighth.

BOOTED

White Sox reliever Jimmy Cordero, supervisor Rick Renteria and pitching coach Don Cooper have been ejected by house plate umpire Dan Bellino after Cordero hit Contreras with a pitch within the seventh.

ROBERT RETURNS

White Sox rookie Luis Robert was again in heart area after being rested on Thursday in Cleveland. He singled within the fifth off Darvish to finish an 0-for-29 hunch.

WISE MOVE

The Cubs chosen the contract of INF Patrick Knowledge from their South Bend, Indiana, alternate web site and optioned INF/OF José Martinez to South Bend. Knowledge pinch hit within the eighth, flied out and remained within the recreation at first.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: INF David Bote, who fills in at third behind Kris Bryant, missed Friday’s recreation with what supervisor David Ross referred to as a flare-up of an undisclosed minor harm. Nico Hoerner began at third. … RHP Tyler Chatwood (elbow) is predicted to toss a bullpen session on Saturday however isn’t close to a return.

White Sox: Reinstated RHP Evan Marshall (shoulder irritation) from the 10-day injured checklist and optioned RHP José Ruiz to their Schaumburg, Illinois, coaching facility.

UP NEXT

The Cubs ship veteran LHP Jon Lester (3-2, 4.40) to the mound in opposition to White Sox rookie RHP Dane Dunning (2-0, 3.19) on Saturday evening. Lester has thrown six shutout innings in two of his three earlier begins and has a 1.06 ERA these three outings.

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