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CHICAGO — After a difficult first game in the second installment of the Crosstown Classic, the Cubs flipped the script and came away with a series victory in the process.

The Cubs used a solid start from Ben Brown, an early offense outburst and some late insurance to take the three-game set with a 5-4 victory over the White Sox at Rate Field. The Cubs (62-43) now turn their attention to a pivotal, three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday at American Family Field.

The Cubs’ win, coupled with Milwaukee’s 3-2, walk-off win over the Miami Marlins on Sunday means the two teams will enter in a dead heat in the National League Central.

Here are three takeaways from Sunday’s win over the White Sox (38-68):

Brown’s recovery

Ben Brown had been far from sharp as of late.

The right-hander had a 6.18 ERA after his outing in St. Louis on June 23 and was optioned to Triple-A. He was brought back to the majors and didn’t fare too much better, allowing seven runs (six earned) in four innings in a loss to the Royals on July 21.

For a team desperate for starting pitching help ahead of Thursday’s trading deadline, Brown’s spot in the rotation has come under the microscope. He shined on Sunday.

Brown tossed five innings of one-run ball, allowed just four hits and struck out four. It was an encouraging outing for Brown and the Cubs.

Of course, one outing won’t be enough to change the minds of Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer or his brass, but it’s a reminder that he could serve as pitching depth for the Cubs over the final two months.

Part of Brown’s struggles – he still owns a 6.22 ERA despite Sunday’s outing – have been his inability to turn over a lineup with his primarily two-pitch mix. The right-hander uses a fastball-knuckle curve combo that can keep hitters off balance, but not multiple times. Sunday, Counsell pulled him after five innings and 57 pitches because the No. 9 hitter was due up and the White Sox leadoff hitter, Mike Tauchman, would see him a third time.

Could Brown’s arsenal and strikeout mix – he has 99 strikeouts in 88.1 innings – be of service down the stretch, especially in shorter bursts? Potentially, but either way it’s a good thing if this can help him trend in the right direction.

Nico’s IQ

Part of Brown’s ability to pitch through the fifth inning stemmed from an incredibly head’s up play by Nico Hoerner in the third inning to turn an inning-ending double play.

Brown allowed a pair of singles to Lenyn Sosa and Brooks Baldwin to start the frame. He struck out Tauchman and then induced a sky-high popout to Chase Meidroth. The ball was sent up in the infield between first and second base. The umpires signaled for an infield fly, and as the ball fell, Hoerner let the ball drop in front of him.

First baseman Michael Busch quickly pointed to third base because Sosa was running to take that base. Hoerner picked up the ball and threw it to Matt Shaw to double up Sosa and allow Brown to escape the jam.

Hoerner is often praised for his defense – he won the National League Gold Glove Award at second base in 2023 – but he has baseball instincts that elevate his game, too.

The 28-year-old, along with fellow Gold Glover Dansby Swanson at shortstop and potential Gold Glove winner Pete Crow-Armstrong in center field, give the Cubs a strong defensive rock in the middle of the field. The Cubs are fourth as a team in Outs Above Average (18) and third in Defensive Runs Saved (51).

That elite defense can help steal outs for pitchers and allow them to pitch deeper into games – as they showed Sunday. That’s a real weapon down the stretch.

As if his heads-up play on defense wasn’t enough, he contributed to a run on another wild moment.

With two outs in the eighth and Ian Happ at second and Hoerner at first, White Sox catcher Edgar Quero threw behind Hoerner at first base after he had a big leadoff.

Happ took off for third as Hoerner was in a rundown, then rounded third and ran home. Right-hander Mike Vasil threw back to Quero at home and caught Happ in a rundown. Quero flipped it to Colson Montgomery at third, and the White Sox rookie blocked Happ from returning. The umpires ruled obstruction and Happ scored on the wacky play with Hoerner taking second.

Quite the day for Hoerner, indeed.

Palencia’s four-out save

It looked like Daniel Palencia was going to have the weekend off and be well-rested heading into the series in Milwaukee.

A three-run home run from Andrew Benintendi off Ryan Brasier in the eighth meant Palencia was going to get some crucial work in.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell turned to his closer with two outs in the frame for a four-out save, something he hadn’t done this season since becoming the team’s closer.

Palencia delivered.

The flamethrower struck out Miguel Vargas to end the eighth, then worked around a two-out hit by pitch in the ninth to close out the win.

The Cubs will be linked with relievers between now and Thursday’s deadline, you can never have enough pitching, the ‘ole adage says. They might even add an experienced reliever who has closed in the past and share the duties with Palencia or even displace him.

Regardless, Palencia continues to show he’s not only an “out-getter” for Counsell, but an incredibly crucial piece in leverage situations.