Chicago Sports

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Riley Stillman’s 100th career NHL game came and went earlier this month without much fanfare.

To Stillman, though, reaching that milestone (on April 10 against the Stars) meant a lot.

“It was an important thing for me,” he said Thursday. “It was a little faster but also took a little longer than you think at times, with injuries and stuff like that. Anytime you get another 100 games under your belt is something you can look back on and be proud of. It was big for me and my family.”

Of course, it’ll take a decade for Stillman to have a chance to pass father Cory’s 1,025 career games, and his younger brother Chase — the Devils’ 2021 first-round pick — soon will be chasing him, too.

After a few years in Florida waffling on the cusp of “NHL regular” status, however, Stillman finally has broken through this season with the Blackhawks. The 24-year-old defenseman entered Saturday with 12 points in 49 games, averaging exactly 15 minutes of ice time per game.

He has been part of interim coach Derek King’s roster rotation in recent weeks, and he asked his dad recently if one ever feels fully comfortable in the NHL. Cory told him no. But reaching that 100-game milestone has at least made him more comfortable.

“You’re never fully established because someone is coming for your job every day, but it was … exciting for me to be like, ‘You know what, we’re here,’ ” Stillman said. “And I’m in a position to improve and get better and try to move up the chain.”

Indeed he is. With two years remaining on his contract, he can feel a lot more certain than, say, fellow 24-year-old defenseman Caleb Jones — a pending restricted free agent — that he’ll stick around through the rebuild. And that should lead to plenty of opportunities to move up the depth chart.

King believes Stillman’s ceiling is higher than his current role as a third-pairing player.

“He’s got another level,” King said Thursday. “He’s an Energizer Bunny out there. Sometimes he gets a little reckless, but his ceiling, he has not reached it yet. He’s still young, still figuring out the game. But I like the energy he brings; I like how he plays.

“He’s going to be a good penalty-killer, a good shutdown kind of defenseman, whether it’s like a Jake McCabe or [Calvin] de Haan we have already. [He’ll be] a younger version with maybe a little more energy.”

Stillman believes that, as well.

“I hope to be a top-four defenseman,” he said. “I hope to be a steady guy that can be trusted to play in every situation, whether that’s [against] top lines, with the goalie pulled — for us or for them — [or] someone that can kill penalties. That’s my goal.”

He plans to take a week off -after the Hawks’ season finale -Friday night in Buffalo, then to get in the gym five or six days per week throughout the summer, hoping to continue building up strength.

While he does, the Hawks’ defensive depth chart seems likely to change significantly. For now, though, he looks up to the veterans around him and sees their longevity as a target to strive for.

He can rattle off exactly how many games McCabe, de Haan, Seth Jones and Connor Murphy each have played.

“I have 100 games now, but it’s not nearly enough for a defenseman,” he said. “[I’ll] continue to lean on the older guys and take everything in [about how to] make better decisions with the puck, when to jump, when to stay back, when to try to go for a big hit, when not to.

“In three to five years, you’ll see a drastic change.”

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At least five people were killed, a man was critically wounded in a police-involved shooting and at least 31 others were struck by gunfire in Chicago since Friday evening.

Two men were killed and two others were wounded in a drive-by shooting Saturday night in West Englewood on the South Side. The group was standing on the sidewalk about 7:30 p.m. in the 1900 block of West Garfield Boulevard when someone inside a gray vehicle opened fire at them, Chicago police said. A 42-year-old man shot multiple times was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said. Another man, 48, also suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died. A third man, 24, was struck in the back and arm and was taken in serious condition to University of Chicago, police said. A 65-year-old man, suffered gunshot wounds to the back and legs and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital.Hours later, Officers responding to a shooting found Alexis Daniel Velazquez Guadarrama, 26, on the ground with a gunshot wound to the chest in the 6200 block of South Francisco Avenue just after 11:30 p.m., police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. A person was fatally shot Saturday afternoon after a fight in Bronzeville on the South Side. About 1 p.m., the male was inside a home in the 4700 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue, when he was shot in the chest after getting into a fight with another male, Chicago police said. He was rushed to the University of Chicago, where he was pronounced dead, police said. His name has not been released.A man was shot and killed after an argument Sunday morning in West Garfield Park on the West Side. The man, 57, was arguing with someone in the 400 block of South Pulaski Road about 4:45 a.m. when he was shot multiple times throughout the body, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. His name hasn’t been released yet. Police say the shooter entered a car and fled the scene. A man was critically wounded by Chicago police officers in a shooting Friday in Pullman on the Far South Side. About 5:40 p.m., police officers were responding to a call of a man with a gun in the 11200 block of South Langley Avenue, according to police spokesman Tom Ahern. When officers arrived, they encountered the man in the street, and he pointed a gun in their direction. Officers then fired, hitting the man, Ahern said. It was unclear if more than one officer fired. The man, whose age wasn’t known, was taken in critical condition to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the Chicago Fire Department. No other details on his injuries were available. No officers were injured during the incident, Ahern said, adding that two guns and a knife were recovered at the scene.Three people were wounded in a drive-by shooting Saturday afternoon in the Near West Side. The group was on the sidewalk about 3:35 p.m. in the 1400 block of West Wilcox Street when a vehicle drove by and someone from inside fired shots, police said. A 30-year-old man was shot in the buttocks and was taken in good condition to West Suburban Hospital, police said. Another man, 28, was struck in the shoulder and was taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition. A third man, 43, was struck in the arm and taken to Stroger in good condition, police said.A 16-year-old boy was wounded in a shooting Saturday night in Little Village on the Southwest Side. The teen boy was on the sidewalk about 7:25 p.m. in the 2400 block of West 25th Street when someone opened fire, police said. He was shot in the chest and was taken by a family member to a hospital in good condition, police said. Hours later, a girl, 17, was found in the rear of a house in the 3600 block of West Douglas Boulevard about 1:10 a.m. with gunshot wounds to both of her legs, police said. She was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she was in good condition, police said.Hours earlier, a man was shot and critically wounded following an altercation Saturday night in River North on the Near North Side. The man, believed to be in his 20s, confronted the gunman regarding a previous incident in the 100 block of West Hubbard Street about 10 p.m. when he was shot multiple times in the body, police said. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was in critical condition, police said.

At least 22 others were wounded in shootings in Chicago since Friday, 5 p.m.

A person was killed and 18 other people were wounded in shootings across Chicago last weekend.

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SAN JOSE, Calif. — Derek King gave the Blackhawks an emphatic pregame speech Saturday, saying they should be “embarrassed” after Thursday’s effortless loss and urging them “earn that respect back.”

The Hawks did play better Saturday. But playing better was a low bar to clear, and it ultimately made no difference on the scoreboard in a 4-1 loss to the Sharks — the Hawks’ 12th defeat in their last 14 games.

So when the sound of applause by SAP Center arena workers drifted through the interim coach’s postgame news conference, he quipped, “I hope that’s not in our locker room.”

“Our compete [level] and everything is there,” added Tyler Johnson, who scored the Hawks’ lone goal. “It’s just our decision-making. We make the game way too difficult.

“We’re all over the ice. We just play one-on-one battles instead of playing as a team. When you do that [against] teams in structure, especially at this time of the year…you just start losing. We’ve got to do a lot better job of playing as a team.”

King commended the Hawks for at least outshooting the Sharks (by a 28-19 margin). The Hawks have only achieved that 23 times in 79 games, so it is notable in an unflattering way.

The goaltending difference between Kevin Lankinen and Kaapo Kahkonen, however, proved decisive. Kahkonen stood strong when tested. Lankinen, meanwhile, allowed three goals on the first eight shots he faced while struggling through yet another night of rebound-control issues and frequently losing his net.

“He’s got a little Marc-Andre [Fleury] in him sometimes,” King said of Lankinen. “When they’re in front of the net like that, he can’t see, he’s trying to battle, he’s coming out, he’s out of his paint.”

Del Mastro signed

The Blackhawks signed on Friday yet another promising defensive prospect –this time Ethan Del Mastro –to his entry-level contract.

Del Mastro, the Hawks’ 2021 fourth-round pick, has significantly increased his stock this season –like many of the Hawks’ defensive prospects –by tallying 48 points in 68 games with the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads. He was also voted the OHL’s best defensive defenseman and best penalty killer in coaches’ polls.

“Ethan has made tremendous strides in his game over the last few years,” Hawks general Manager Kyle Davidson said in a statement. “He has really opened our eyes as he showcased a poise with the puck and ability to make plays on the rush this season. Combining those traits with an already strong defensive mentality gives us hope that there is still plenty of room for progression and growth in his game.”

The 6-foot-4, 206-pound Canadian will likely return to Mississauga next season in spite of his newly inked NHL contract, which carries a $878,333 salary cap hit for three years. He’s not AHL eligible next season and the contract is eligible to slide.

IceHogs clinch

The Rockford IceHogs clinched a spot in the AHL playoffs with a 5-3 win Saturday over the Manitoba Moose, the Jets’ affiliate.

The IceHogs’ second-half surge has been a bright spot in a bleak year for the Hawks organization. They’re now 36-27-5 with four games left.

Scoring trends

With one week left in the regular season, the NHL is averaging 6.26 total goals per game, which would make it the highest-scoring season since 1995-96 (when games averaged 6.28 goals).

The upward scoring trend is evident across the board. Teams have scored on 20.5% of power plays, the highest conversion rate since 1989-90 (20.8%). The league-wide save percentage is .907, the lowest since 2006-07 (.905).

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Four people were wounded in shooting Saturday night in West Englewood on the South Side, according to Chicago fire officials.

Police did not immediately have details, but fire officials said paramedics responded to a call of multiple people shot about 7:40 p.m. near Damen Avenue and Garfield Boulevard.

The four wounded were taken to Stroger Hospital and the University of Chicago Medical Center for treatment and all were listed in serious condition, fire officials said.

This is a developing story, check back for details.

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First baseman Alfonso Rivas didn’t pout when he was optioned to Triple-A Iowa following the Cubs’ game April 15.

“It’s part of the business,” said Rivas, who was brought back Friday when outfielder Clint Frazier (appendicitis) was placed on the 10-day injured list. “It always sucks when you get sent down, but the easiest thing for me was to understand that it was a business move, and it gave me the opportunity to play every single day down there. I saw it as the positive of that transaction.”

Rivas provided more positives Saturday, hitting a three-run home run in the Cubs’ 21-0 rout of the Pirates. Though the wind was blowing out, Rivas’ 416-foot blast didn’t need any help, as it left the bat at 105 mph.

Cubs manager David Ross isn’t surprised that Rivas took the earlier demotion in stride.

“He’s got that personality,” Ross said. “He’s pretty in tune to what’s going on, understands that sometimes it’s an options game.”

When Rivas was sent down to make room for pitcher Mark Leiter Jr., Ross was quoted as saying “we’ll see you soon” about the 25-year-old.

“It definitely gives you confidence going down and kind of treating it as a temporary move, expecting to come back,” Rivas said. “[Ross] is really good at communicating that. It helped me a lot, especially having that conversation and then saying the things he did say and taking it into Iowa. It paid off.”

Newcomer’s debut

The Cubs didn’t exactly give reliever Sean Newcomb a high-leverage spot for his debut, calling for him to relieve Kyle Hendricks and start the eighth with a 17-0 lead.

“Newcomb has great stuff,” catcher Willson Contreras said. “There’s some things that he might need to work on, but he’s going to be good. His fastball is powerful and his breaking balls are really good.”

Newcomb struck out one during a perfect inning.

Speed it up?

According to an ESPN report, minor-league games using a pitch clock are 20 minutes shorter. Those games utilize a 14-second clock with the bases empty, and 18 seconds with runners on.

Ross didn’t want to give an opinion on those clocks because he hasn’t experienced them personally, but wouldn’t be surprised if they come to the majors sooner or later.

“Guys will adjust,” Ross said. “We don’t like change a lot, as players, but then they’ll adjust to whatever is put in front of them.”

Feeling better

Frazier had his appendectomy, and Ross said Frazier texted him to say he was “ready to rake already.” Ross continued that Frazier seems to be doing well and that the Cubs hoped to have an update on his recovery in the next few days.

Pitcher Wade Miley (left elbow inflammation) had been scheduled to throw a bullpen Friday, but that was punted to Saturday because of the wonky weather situation that forced the Cubs’ 4-2 loss to be pushed back to a 7:05 p.m. first pitch.

Bear down

New Bears coach Matt Eberflus threw out a ceremonial first pitch before the game and then led the seventh inning stretch. Last Saturday, Eberflus’ boss Ryan Poles also threw out the first pitch at a White Sox game.

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Whatever ground the Bulls might have seemed to have gained on the Bucks with a 114-110 victory in Game 2 of the teams’ first-round playoff series, they gave it all back — and then some — from start to finish of an unspeakably foul performance in Game 3. Was it really only 111-81? Because it looked more like 181-11.

But it wasn’t just the Bulls “giving,” of course. There was a whole lot of Bucks taking, too, and the league’s defending champions never looked so greedy.

So what now? Do the Bulls have a chance to draw even again in Sunday’s Game 4 at the United Center? Or is this thing all but over, healthy Khris Middleton or, as is the case, not?

“If we stick to our game plan and execute the way we’re supposed to,” Zach LaVine said, “I think we’ll be all right.”

Yeah, well, not many of us would’ve imagined the Bulls following up a road win with the worst home playoff loss in franchise history.

“A loss is a loss,” DeMar DeRozan said. “With that, we’ve got to come back regardless and protect our home floor, you know? … Now we get an opportunity to tie this thing up Sunday on our home court, and that’s what we’re going to go out there and do.”

Sounds like a plan, if not a guarantee. But a plan that’s actually going to, ahem, work? That’s a very different question. And here’s what’s happening:

SUN 24

Bucks at Bulls, Game 4 (noon, Ch. 7)

Not to tell Bulls coach Billy Donovan how to do his job, but we suggest dialing up a game plan that doesn’t involve falling behind by three touchdowns in the first quarter.

Heat at Hawks, Game 4 (6 p.m., TNT)

Are Trae Young and the Hawks really going to tie things up and make this a series? And why are we suddenly imagining Jimmy Butler heaving a chair across the visitors’ locker room?

Suns at Pelicans, Game 4 (8:30 p.m., TNT)

Things got spicy between these teams in Game 3, with the Suns being pushed harder than they probably expected to be. Another forearm shiver or two and we’ll really have something here.

MON 25

Celtics at Nets, Game 4 (6 p.m., TNT)

It’s all-out desperation mode for Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and a Brooklyn squad that many saw as a title favorite — and that was before the enormous contributions of Ben Simmons.

Flyers at Blackhawks (7 p.m., ESPN+, Hulu)

Let’s be honest: If these teams traded uniforms before the third period, would anyone notice?

TUE 26

Royals at White Sox (6:10 p.m., NBCSCH)

Lately, the Sox can’t hit the ball, field the ball, stay healthy or keep from getting suspended. Other than that, they’re a well-oiled machine.

Mets at Cardinals (6:45 p.m., TBS)

Who do the Mets think they are, the best team in baseball? Blink and you’ll miss at least two Pete Alonso RBI.

WED 27

Bulls at Bucks, Game 5 (TBD)

At least the Bulls know they can win at Fiserv Forum. After all, they’ve done it — oh, boy — once in their last eight tries.

THU 28

Royals at White Sox (1:10 p.m., NBCSCH)

OK, so it’s a tad unconventional, but maybe the Sox can avoid a catastrophe or two if Tony La Russa starts benching players for hustling down the first-base line?

Cubs at Braves (6:20 p.m., Marquee)

We don’t know what’s going to happen, though it probably won’t involve Anthony Rizzo pitching to Freddie Freeman or chasing after him in a rundown and yelling, “Frederick!” Sigh.

FRI 29

Blackhawks at Sabres (6 p.m., NBCSCH)

Is it here already? Boy, the good times just flew right on by. Enjoy the season finale, puckheads.

Cubs at Brewers (7:10 p.m., Marquee)

The Cubs are off to a 2-1 start in the season series but still have a heck of a long way to go to make up for last year’s 3-13 debacle.

Bucks at Bulls, Game 6, if necessary (TBD)

Necessary or not, who are we kidding? It’s necessary.

SAT 30

Angels at White Sox (3:05 p.m., FS1, NBCSCH)

People are still giving Angels manager Joe Maddon grief for having his pitcher intentionally walk home a run the other day. At least he didn’t bring a clown, a magician or a zoo animal out of the bullpen to do it.

Racing Louisville at Red Stars (7 p.m., Paramount+)

The regular season begins, and everybody is talking about the Red Stars’ new “Skyscraper” kits. At least, everybody who knows how to find a Red Stars game on Paramount+ is.

Red Bulls at Fire (7 p.m., Ch. 9)

You have to like the Fire’s chances to avoid defeat if they employ their customary strategy: “We promise not to score any goals if you don’t.”

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The Cubs offense needed a good day. They got a little more Saturday.

During their 21-0 win over the Pirates that ended a four-game losing streak, the Cubs pounded out 23 hits and batted around twice. Their eight-run second was the Cubs’ first inning with at least that many since May 21, 2021. Before leaving in the fifth for a pinch-hitter, right fielder Seiya Suzuki bounced back from a recent 10 at-bat hitless drought with three hits, three runs scored and a run batted in.

The win is the Cubs’ most lopsided shutout victory since 1901, topping 19-0 wins in 1906 and 1969.

With the wind blowing out on a day that felt more like summer in front of an announced crowd of 39,917, Cubs first baseman Alfonso Rivas drove in fiveruns and hit a three-run home run that didn’t need any assistance from the breeze. By scoring 21runs, the Cubs exceeded the 12 they put up during their four-game skid.

Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks, meanwhile, didn’t need much support.

Hendricks threw seven scoreless innings, giving up two hits and striking out two while walking none. After surrendering a career-high 31 home runs last year, Hendricks generally kept the Pirates out of the air, getting eight groundouts.

The same could not be said for Pirates starter Zach Thompson.

In the first, Suzuki, Willson Conteras and then Ian Happ singled off Thompson, with Happ bringing in Suzuki to give the Cubs an early 1-0 lead. The Cubs had a chance for more, but Jason Heyward popped out with the bases loaded to end the threat.

Suzuki got his second single and drove in Nico Hoerner when his soft grounder snuck into right field to bump the Cubs’ lead to 2-0. Contreras then sent a sharp single through a drawn-in Pittsburgh infield to increase the Cubs’ edge to 4-0.

Then the Pirates defense contributed, as shortstop Kevin Newman made two errors on grounders that could’ve ended the inning, with the second allowing two runs to score. Rivas then punished the Pirates further, cranking a three-run homer to cap the Cubs’ eight-run inning.

Hendricks retired the first nine Pirates before former Cubs prospect Dan Vogelbach hit a fly ball to the left-field corner that Happ couldn’t corral and fell in for a double. Hendricks and the Cubs got out of the inning when Patrick Wisdom made a leaping grab of a Yoshi Tsutsugo liner, stranding Vogelbach at third.

Rivas struck again in the Cubs’ two-run fourth when his single down the left-field line brought in Jonathan Villar. The lead swelled to 11-0 when Heyward scored on Hoerner’s soft chopper between home and the pitcher’s mound.

The Cubs didn’t let up in the fifth, scoring five more times. Contreras, Happ and Heyward had run-scoring doubles and Rivas and Hoerner chipped in with RBI singles.

Hoerner also added an RBI single in the seventh.

In the eighth, the Pirates used outfielder Diego Castillo to pitch, and the results were predictable. Wisdom had an RBI single and Villar single brought in two to give the Cubs 20 runs. Heyward grounded into a double play with Wisdom crossing home to finally cap the scoring.

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MINNEAPOLIS — The rash of injuries seemingly has no end.

Left fielder Eloy Jimenez was the latest White Sox player to go down Saturday, suffering a right hamstring injury after he ran out a ground ball during the second inning of the team’s game against the Twins Saturday afternoon.

Jimenez was taken off on a cart. He landed on the bag with his left foot but appeared to sustain the injury on his next step. He laid face down on the grass down the first-base line for several moments before getting up and onto the cart.

The Sox, who were trailing the Twins 1-0 attempting to snap a five-game losing streak, already have eight players on the injured list: Right-handers Lance Lynn, Lucas Giolito (expected back Sunday), Joe Kelly and Jonathan Stiever, left-hander Garrett Crochet, infielder Yoan Moncada and outfielder Yermin Mercedes.

Luis Robert has a groin pull that will keep him out of the series in Minneapolis.

Jimenez, who is almost certainly headed to the IL, missed most of the first four months of last season after tearing a pectoral muscle leaping at the wall during a game in spring training. He was playing in his second game in a row and first in left field after missing Wednesday’s game with soreness in his left ankle.

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Bobby Portis wasn’t naming names.

Then again, the one-time Bull turned Bucks cult hero didn’t really need to.

After a huge Game 3 statement win for the defending NBA champions on Friday, Portis was talking about the role he tried to play in the one-sided laugher for visiting Milwaukee, as he finished the game with 18 points and 16 rebounds in just 25 minutes of work.

Work that by the way came as the starter for an injured Khris Middleton.

“Play with confidence,” Portis said of his mindset. “That’s the biggest thing. Playing with confidence is a big thing out there on the basketball court, and you know who’s confident and you know who’s not.”

Exhibit A in who looked confident? Portis.

Who did not?

The player Portis was assigned to guard at the start of the game, and really didn’t end up needing to guard. Instead, the Bucks used Portis to help double-team and push Bulls scorers DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine to their left hands all night, making them relatively ineffective.

A defensive game plan made possible by yet another passive/ineffective performance by Bulls second-year forward Patrick Williams.

First, it’s important to note that Williams did finish the game with nine shot attempts, which was the same amount in his solid Game 2 performance where he scored 10 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the Bulls win.

This is also where stats like to deceive.

In the Friday first quarter where the Bucks outscored the Bulls 33-17 and established their defensive game plan, Williams took just two shots, being left relatively open in the eight minutes that he was out there by Portis.

Williams took two more shots in the second quarter, as Milwaukee stretched the halftime lead to 60-41, all but ending any hopes the Bulls had in taking control of the series.

In mop-up time in the fourth was when the No. 4 overall pick from the 2020 draft put up four more shots, again missing all of them to finish the night 0-for-9 from the field with one point and four rebounds.

Unacceptable.

Not just from a top five pick, but from any player in the starting lineup.

“The playoffs, it’s all in,” Portis said. “Every guy that steps out there needs to know his role and what he needs to do on the floor to impact winning.”

At just 20 years old and going through his first visit to the postseason, of course Williams doesn’t know that. But what has to start to concern the Bulls is when will something start clicking for him? “Passive Pat” is not a nickname any player wants.

And the excuses about his age and experience are starting to run thin, especially in a postseason where other 20 year olds are not only making winning plays, but in some cases dominating – see Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards.

If Williams isn’t ready, putting him on a playoff stage as a starter might not be the best decision.

Which brings everything back to Portis.

Since Williams was selected out of Florida State, a starting job has basically been handed to him. It might be time for him to really compete for it next year. And not just beating out an undersized Javonte Green or the lame duck forward that was Lauri Markkanen last season.

Portis owns the $4.5 million player option next season. If Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas can free up salary, bringing Portis back to the organization that drafted him would be a good play.

He’d be an emotional spark plug for a team that too often looks like it would rather be in church singing, but more importantly he would be real competition for Williams. Williams just might need to be pushed, especially in that confidence department.

Who was confident on Friday, who was not? Portis wasn’t saying. He didn’t need to.

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MINNEAPOLIS — As rough weeks go, this one is going down as an all-timer for White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson.

Six errors in the last three games for the 2021 All-Star, a half-dozen eggs on the face of a team that led the majors with 16 going into its game against the Twins Saturday. After a 6-2 start, the Sox were trying to halt a five-game losing streak.

What’s more, Anderson lost his composure Wednesday in Cleveland, flipping off a fan after the shortstop made two errors in the first two innings of an 11-1 loss. The gesture was caught on camera, and Major League Baseball suspended Anderson one game and levied a fine Friday.

Often described as a face of the Sox franchise, a distinction he embraces while bringing energy to the park every day, advancing his brand by interacting with fans and doing community work, Anderson knew he made a mistake. He apologized Friday night.

“There are a lot of kids out there watching,” Anderson said. “I have to be a bigger person in that situation.”

The Sox need Anderson to play bigger at shortstop, and the rash of errors was head scratching, especially after he fielded with aplomb before the defensive woes came storming in alongside the bad weather in Cleveland.

“He was playing unbelievable,” said bench coach Miguel Cairo, a former infielder. “He’s the energy of this team and the guy who gets us going. He’s back in there and it’s another day.

“It happens. You have to move on and put those days behind you. Tim is one of the best shortstops in the big leagues. He’s going to be fine.”

Going in the hole and throwing across his body, Anderson hesitated trying to get a grip on Carlos Correa’s ground ball and ensuring throwing error that, couple with a followup throwing error by Jose Abreu, plated the tying and go-ahead runs in the eighth inning of a 2-1 loss Friday.

Anderson has worked with coaches in recent days on altering his pre-pitch position, finishing his throws and eliminating flat-footed tosses to first base.

“You go through tough things,” Anderson said Friday night. “It just happens to be defense. I’m in a tough stretch right now. But nothing is going to stop. I have to keep working and I have to continue to get better. I keep letting these guys down but I’m going to keep working and get to where I need to be. That’s really all.”

Anderson is determined to be great and he said getting there comes with taking lumps. He has taken two kinds this week.

“I understand that the game can be tough sometimes,” he said. “You can get frustrated sometimes and people can say certain things that get you out of character but for the most part … just suck it up [about] whatever is being said.

Sox manager Tony La Russa, an ardent supporter of Anderson, knows Anderson did wrong in Cleveland.

“We’re all vulnerable, man,” La Russa said. “But there is a level that you can’t [do]. He took responsibility. This guy, he’s really special. I don’t want this to taint his greatness as a person or a player.”

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