Sox rock Cubs

The Cubs found out that U.S. Cellular is a long way from the friendly confines, even if it's only a few miles.

The White Sox ripped the Cubs, 10-3, on Friday, scoring seven runs in the third inning. The biggest blow was a grand slam by Nick Swisher.

Ryan Dempster was the loser for the Cubs, giving up eight runs and getting only seven guys out. Dempster fell to 9-3.

Jose Contreras was the winner for the White Sox. You may recall he allowed a nine-run inning against the Cubs last Saturday as the Cubs swept the Sox, outscoring them 22-11.

The Sox rapped out 14 hits, with Orlando Cabrera going two for four with two runs; A.J. Pierzynski, two for five, two runs and an RBI; Carlos Quentin, four for five, two runs and two RBIs; the red-hot Jermaine Dye, three for five, one run and three RBIs; and Swisher, two for three, a run and four RBIs.

For the Cubs, Geovany Soto, Mike Fontenot and Jim Edmonds hit solo homers.

It wasn't long ago that both Chicago teams were cruising, heading toward a possible World Series confrontation. Now both face serious challenges.

The Minnesota Twins have won nine in a row, feasting off the National League, and are only a game back. The Detroit Tigers have also been on a roll and are only five and a half back.

The Cubs are up four games on the Cardinals and five games on the Brewers. Milwaukee might pose the more serious challenge, and they might be in the market for pitching (who isn't?). Anyway you look at it, the division doesn't look like a sure thing.

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, whom reporters must love because he's always ready with a good quote, said this before the game: ""I just want to win because I'm tired of fans calling me names. I don't know why the Sox fans hate me because we lost to the Cubs. I got some letters that are unbelievable, ridiculous. If I wrote that letter to anybody, they would throw me right out of this country."

Maybe now he won't get the hate mail. But it's only one game. The Cubs have ruled this recent rivalry.

For the Cubs, cracks might be showing in their previously invincible-looking armor:

* Dempster. He had been the Cubs No. 2 guy, and needed to step up in the absence of No. 1 starter Carlos Zambrano, who's out for a couple of starts. He wasn't up to the task Friday.

Dempster's 9-0 at home and 0-3 on the road. That's not good enough. The Cubs will have to be more than just a good home team if they want to do well in the postseson.

* Eric Patterson in left field. He made a two-base error Friday. It's worth noting he was playing second base in the minor leagues. Yes, the Cubs do miss Alfonso Soriano.

We'll find out more about the rest of the Cubs' rotation in this series. On Saturday, it's the Cubs' Sean Gallagher against Javier Vazquez. On Sunday it's Sean Marshall against Mark Buehrle. Cubs' fans shouldn't be real overconfident about those pitching matchups, although Gallagher's pitched pretty well.

Jermaine Dye hit the wall to catch Kosuke Fukudome's long drive to end the game.