White Sox 3, Cubs 2: Gordon Beckham’s home run in the top of the eighth inning proved to be the decisive blow as the White Sox won the series opener against their crosstown rivals while spoiling Kerry Wood's final major-league appearance.

Beckham drove a 2-2 pitch from Jeff Samardzija (4-2), who had just tied the game at 2-2 with an RBI single in the seventh, over the left-field wall with one out.

Matt Thornton (2-3) got the win for the White Sox despite allowing the Cubs to score the tying run on the first of the three pitches he threw in the seventh inning.

The Cubs made it interesting with two out in the ninth. Darwin Barney was credited with a double after White Sox right fielder Alex Rios lost a shallow fly ball in the sun, putting the tying run in scoring position, but Addison Reed struck out Reed Johnson to end it.

Paul Konerko put the visitors on top with a two-run homer to left in the first inning, but Samardzija exacted his revenge in the third, hitting the White Sox first baseman in the face with a pitch. Konerko left the game with a cut under his left eye.

Samardzija struck out eight hitters in his 7 1/3 innings, yielding six hits and a pair of walks.

Wood, who had announced his retirement plans earlier in the day, came on in relief and struck out the lone hitter he faced, Dayan Viciedo, on three pitches. Wood left the field to a standing ovation and was given a hug by his son, Justin, before he reached the dugout.

White Sox starter Philip Humber tossed 6 1/3 innings, getting charged with two runs on five hits. He struck out three and walked two.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Samardzija, who threw a career-high 113 pitches, was 0-for-14 at the plate this year before his game-tying hit. ... Viciedo took Konerko’s spot in the lineup, taking left field while Adam Dunn moved to first base. ... Cubs manager Dale Sveum was ejected in the fifth inning for arguing with third base umpire Marty Foster. ... The White Sox scratched 3B Brent Morel from the lineup with lower back pain. ... Blake Lalli made his major-league debut for the Cubs, entering the game at catcher in the top of the ninth inning.