Pete Crow-Armstrong's first career walk-off homer gives Cubs 7-5 win over White Sox in 10 innings

CHICAGO (AP) — Pete Crow-Armstrong hit his first career walk-off homer, a two-run shot in the 10th inning, and the Chicago Cubs rallied for a 7-5 win over the crosstown White Sox Monday night at Wrigley Field.

The All-Star center fielder and MVP contender hit his fifth leadoff homer of the season to start the game. Then he ended it when he led off the 10th by driving a 2-1 slider from Hagen Smith (2-1) deep into the right-field patio area. It was the 30th homer of the season for Crow-Armstrong, one short of his career best from last year. With 31 stolen bases this year, he also has back-to-back 30-30 seasons.

Crow-Amstrong took his left hand off the bat after he connected and pointed it skyward as he began walking down the first-base line. He turned toward the dugout and celebrated before starting his slow, exuberant home run trot.

Seiya Suzuki also homered for the Cubs and Jacob Webb (5-2) left the bases loaded in the top of the 10th to set the stage for Crow-Armstrong, who drove in automatic runner Carson Kelly. The Cubs' leadoff batter finished 4 for 5 with a walk.

The Cubs snapped a two-game skid and ended the White Sox's three-game winning streak. Randal Grichuk and Andrew Benintendi homered for the White Sox, who had won six of eight and took two of three from the Cubs on the South side earlier this season.

Nico Hoerner’s RBI single tied the game in the bottom of the ninth. In the eighth, pinch-hitter Benintendi sent Ryan Zeferjahn’s first offering into the right-field basket for a two-run homer to give the White Sox a 5-4 lead.

Crow-Armstrong drove Luis Castillo’s first pitch down the right-field line and out. Suzuki belted one to deep left center four pitches later. Grichuk's three-run homer, his 10th, put the White Sox ahead 3-2 in the fourth.

Cubs starter Shota Imanaga allowed three runs on two hits and struck out 10 — one off his season high — in six innings.

RHP Kevin Gausman (6-11, 4.53 ERA) goes for the Cubs on Tuesday. The White Sox had not named a starter.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong gestures toward the crowd after hitting a walkoff home run during the 10th inning of a baseball game to defeat the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong reacts after hitting a walkoff home run during the 10th inning of a baseball game to defeat the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong tosses his bat after hitting a walkoff home run during the 10th inning of a baseball game to defeat the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong gestures toward the crowd after hitting a walkoff home run during the 10th inning of a baseball game to defeat the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong watches his walkoff home run during the 10th inning of a baseball game to defeat the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

MASON, Ohio (AP) — Serena and Venus Williams played their first doubles match together since the 2022 U.S. Open and lost a thriller, 2-6, 6-1 (10-8) to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns on Monday night at the Cincinnati Open.

The sisters nearly recovered from a 6-0 deficit in the match tiebreaker before a double-fault by Venus Williams ended their first doubles appearance in a non-Grand Slam event since the Italian Open in 2016.

“I thought it was fun,” Serena said. “I thought it was special. We kicked off a little rust in the middle of the match and just, you know (were) starting to feel it. I didn’t come out here to win this tournament. Winning is obviously great. But in this position just, you know, having fun. It was really cool to be able to do this again.”

Serena had been off the tour since 2022 before returning this summer at age 44. The sisters planned to play together at Wimbledon but had to withdraw after Serena injured her knee while losing her singles match. They entered Cincinnati as a wild card.

“Eventually we would find our way to each other,” the 46-year-old Venus said about the decision to play doubles again. “It's our first time playing together in forever. It was great for us to get out there and do it.”

Kostyuk and Stearns, both 24, are playing in their first tournament together. Kostyuk is from Ukraine. Stearns grew up in the Cincinnati suburb of Mason, where the tournament is played every year.

“I kind of expected it but it stung a little bit that this is my hometown,” Stearns said about the pro-Williams sisters crowd. “I won't hold it against anyone. The crowd was going for them but we used it to our advantage and flipped the script.”

After dropping the first set, the Williams sisters rolled in the second to force a match tiebreak.

Kostyuk and Stearns went ahead 6-0, but consecutive double-faults by Kostyuk helped the Williamses get within 8-7. It was 9-8 after Serena powerfully put away an overhead before Venus double-faulted.

“The crowd got the show,” Kostyuk said. “They probably couldn’t ask for anything better. At the end a tiebreak is a lottery. You never know which way it’s going to go.”

Venus and Serena have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and 22 total. Serena won one with Alexandra Stevenson in 2002 at Leipzig. All of Venus' doubles titles have been with her sister. They also have won three Olympic gold medals together.

Serena has won 23 singles Grand Slam titles. Venus has won seven.

In other results Monday, defending Cincinnati champion Iga Swiatek rallied from a set down to win her eighth consecutive match, beating Maria Sakkari, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.

No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina beat Magdalena Frech, 6-4, 7-6. Third-ranked Jessica Pegula beat fellow American Emma Navarro, 7-5, 6-2.

World No. 3 and top seed Alexander Zverev won his ATP-tour leading 46th match this season, outlasting Terence Atmane, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (6).

See AP’s full tennis coverage here

Venus, left, and Serena Williams, right, take the court for their women's doubles match against Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine, and Peyton Stearns, also of the United States, at the Cincinnati Open tennis tournament, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)

Serena Williams, of the United States, reacts to a winning point during a women's doubles match against Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine, and Peyton Stearns, of the United States, at the Cincinnati Open tennis tournament, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)

Peyton Stearns, of the United States, left, first bumps Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine, right, during a women's doubles match against Serena Williams and Venus Williams, also of the United States, at the Cincinnati Open tennis tournament, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)

Serena Williams, of the United States, returns a shot against Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine, and Peyton Stearns, also of the United States, during a women's doubles match at the Cincinnati Open tennis tournament, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)

Serena Williams, left, first bumps Venus Williams, right, both of the United States, during a women's doubles match against Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine, and Peyton Stearns, also of the United States, at the Cincinnati Open tennis tournament, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)