CHICAGO _ The Chicago White Sox's dominance of left-handed pitching wasn't lost on Chicago Cubs manager David Ross.
"It's on my radar, for sure," Ross said Friday night before the White Sox pounded lefty Jon Lester for four home runs in 3 2/3 innings, leading to a 10-1 victory in the first game of the City Series at Wrigley Field.
"They've done well against left-handed pitching. There's no secret about that."
The Sox won their sixth consecutive game with a convincing statement at the plate and on the mound, where Dallas Keuchel limited the Cubs to one hit through five innings.
The Sox (16-11) are five games over .500 for the first time since they were 27-22 on May 27, 2016. This equaled their largest margin of victory at Wrigley, accomplished on May 20, 2003.
Meanwhile, the four home runs Lester surrendered tied a career high set on July 22, 2012, against the Blue Jays.
The Sox, who finished with six home runs, have hit an American League-leading 49 home runs in only 27 games _ their most in that span in franchise history.
Their six homers, including two from Jose Abreu, were the most against the Cubs at Wrigley. According to Elias, the Sox's 24 homers are the most in a seven-game span in franchise history.
Rookie Luis Robert, who missed the last two games because of right wrist soreness, whacked a two-run home run that struck a letter on an advertisement atop the left-field bleachers on one bounce in the second.
Tim Anderson opened the third with a double off the center-field wall that Albert Almora Jr. lost in the twilight. Yasmani Grandal hit a hard single to left, then Abreu launched a three-run homer.
That was plenty for Keuchel, who allowed six hits in eight innings. He hasn't allowed a run in the first two innings in any of his six starts this season.
But the Sox offense didn't let up.
Danny Mendick continues to impress in place of the injured Nick Madrigal. He led off the fourth with a homer to left-center, and Grandal hit a two-run homer that knocked out Lester.
Since limiting opponents to seven hits in 17 innings over his first three starts, Lester has allowed 13 runs on 18 hits in 9 2/3 innings over his last two starts.
Eloy Jimenez provided a painful reminder of the lopsided trade from three years ago when the Cubs dealt him and pitcher Dylan Cease for Jose Quintana by hitting his team-leading ninth homer off Colin Rea in the seventh that traveled an estimated 465 feet.
After hitting three home runs in his first 15 games, Jimenez has hit six in his last 10.
After Jason Adam sailed a pitch near Abreu's head, Abreu smacked his second homer in the ninth that nearly cleared the bleachers in left-center.
The Sox coasted without third baseman Yoan Moncada, whom manager Rick Renteria allowed a rest day.
Meanwhile, the Cubs played their fourth consecutive game without Kris Bryant because of left wrist soreness.
Despite Bryant's struggles (1 for 17) before receiving a pain-killing injection Tuesday, his absence didn't help a Cubs lineup that continues to struggle in the upper half.
Javier Baez snapped Keuchel's no-hit bid with a single with two outs in the fourth, but he grounded into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded to end the sixth and is now 3 for his last 34.
Keuchel (4-2) didn't allow a run until Nico Hoerner hit Keuchel's 104th pitch for a single to right with two outs in the eighth.
