The reaction in the dugout didn’t look like that of a team slow to push runs across the plate — players on the top step banging on the padded railing as the Cubs took a two-run lead against the White Sox in the eighth inning.

That lead, produced by catcher Miguel Amaya’s two-run single into left field, would hold for the Cubs in their 3-1 victory. It was the first game of the four-game season series that didn’t end in a 7-6 Cubs win. And with the victory, the Cubs swept the four-game crosstown showdown across a pair of two-game sets.

“Things have been awesome here in the clubhouse,’’ Amaya said. ‘‘Everybody’s together. The vibes, the energy here is: This is a brotherhood, and we pick each other up.”

The Cubs crept to within a game of .500 and are on the edge of the wild-card conversation, 3½ games back of a playoff berth.

Starting pitcher Justin Steele, who held the Sox to one unearned run in six innings, has taken “one day at a time” to an extreme. He hasn’t been paying attention to the Cubs’ record all season. But that’s not the case across the board.

“I know where we are,” second baseman Nico Hoerner said.

“It does feel like it’s still within our grasp, as far as controlling what we can. It doesn’t feel like we’re watching the scoreboard making sure other teams are losing or anything like that.

“The first thing you can do is control your end of it, and we’ve done a nice job, considering we put ourselves in a hole with how we played for an extended stretch. But I do think we’re seeing a very complete version of us right now as far as starting pitching, in defense and a full lineup.”

It wasn’t the Cubs’ best series of the year, but it was their third consecutive series win.

“For years now, we’ve played really competitive games with the [Sox],” Ian Happ said. ‘‘Great energy in the stands the last two days, and it’s the big leagues. If you win by one run or win by two runs, they’re wins, and it’s hard to win in the big leagues.”

The Cubs tied the game in the fifth inning on one of the strangest plays of the year. Isaac Paredes hit a double to left field, and Cody Bellinger raced from first around the bases. But when Sox left fielder Andrew Benintendi threw to his cutoff man — shortstop Brooks Baldwin — the rookie turned to second base first, instead of the plate, and held the ball as Bellinger scored.

“Obviously, it’s awesome when things do go your way,” Steele said.

“As far as it goes for me, pitching being tied or pitching with the lead is so much better than pitching down. Because you know when you’re down, you’re just trying your best to not give up any more runs, keep it within distance. So being tied up definitely gives you confidence out there on the mound.”

The Cubs’ game-winning rally was a round of small ball.

Hoerner led off the inning with a walk. Dansby Swanson, who reached 1,000 career hits, hit a chopper for a single. Pete Crow-Armstrong moved them over with a sacrifice bunt. And Amaya drove them in.