CHICAGO -- It’s tough to set many new franchise records for the Cubs, an organization that’s been around since 1876, but Craig Counsell’s lineup got to work early against the Cardinals in Friday’s 11-3 win at Wrigley Field. They set two new home run benchmarks: their six homers in the first three innings (all off Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas) and eight for the game are both new records for the Cubs organization.
First baseman Michael Busch led the pack with three home runs, making him the first Cubs first baseman to hit three homers in a game since Ernie Banks did it on June 9, 1963. Busch also became the third Cubs player to have a 3-homer game against the Cardinals on the 4th of July, joining Moises Alou and Hank Leiber as North Siders to haunt their rivals on the holiday.
“It’s just really cool to get the win and to celebrate so many good days by the guys,” Busch said. “I think that was my first three-homer game ever.”
Five different Cubs batters had at least one home run, and along with Busch, Pete Crow-Armstrong hit multiple. In his 4-for-4 day at the plate, Crow-Armstrong homered in the first and third innings. He was a part of one of the three times the Cubs went back-to-back on Friday. Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki did it in the first inning, Busch and Carson Kelly paired up in the second and then Dansby Swanson and Busch went back-to-back in the seventh.
The three times that the Cubs went back-to-back were the eighth, ninth, and tenth times they have done it this season, and the two homers in the seventh inning tied, and then, broke the franchise record for home runs in a single game. The club last hit seven in a game on August 1, 2023 against the Reds. Chicago also became the fifth team on record to have three separate home run streaks (at least back-to-back) in the same game, the first squad to complete the feat since the Dodgers in 2016.
With all of Friday’s longballs, the Cubs climbed to third place in baseball in team home runs (133). They trail only the Dodgers and Yankees.
“This is the best offense I’ve ever been a part of, or ever seen,” Crow-Armstrong said. “It’s extra rewarding too, after the year we had last year in terms of ballpark factors and whatnot, with all of the wind blowing in and everything. I love what we’re doing at home.”
The Cubs offense has been a big part of the reason they have successfully navigated losing two of their best starting pitchers for significant chunks of the season. Justin Steele is out for the year with left elbow tendinitis that required season-ending surgery in April, and Shota Imanaga just returned to the rotation last Thursday after a two-month absence caused by a right hamstring strain. And right on cue, Jameson Taillon was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday (retroactive to July 1) with a right calf strain that manager Craig Counsell said would keep him out for “at least a month.”
Left-hander Jordan Wicks was recalled from Triple-A Iowa, but Counsell said the plan for now is not to use Wicks in place of Taillon in the rotation. Taillon’s spot comes up Saturday, and the Cubs will use Drew Pomeranz as an opener for what Counsell said will be a bullpen game.
Typically, injuries to key starters like Steele, Imanaga, and Taillon would sink a team’s chances at a division title, but with Friday’s win, the Cubs are 53-35 and still comfortably ahead of the Brewers and Cardinals in the NL Central. Credit for that is due at least in part to the kind of explosive offense the Cubs showed on Friday. This season, they have the second-highest number of runs scored, behind only the Dodgers.
Friday’s offensive outburst came after the Cubs needed 10 innings to score one run against the Guardians on Thursday, which is somewhat indicative of how the offense has handled tough days at the plate all year. They have avoided prolonged offensive slumps this season, both as a team and as individuals.
“That’s the sport. That’s what’s crazy about it, and that’s why you turn the page every single day,” Counsell said.
Busch is a prime example. Last season, Busch’s first full year in the majors, he finished with a .775 OPS in just under 500 at-bats. He often fell into lengthy cold stretches at the plate, leading to fluctuations at times of almost 80 points in his batting average from month to month in 2024. This year, with 271 at-bats under his belt, Busch’s OPS is .919 and his 17 home runs have already nearly matched last year’s total of 21.
“He’s turned into a great offensive player,” Counsell said. “Last year there were kind of ups and downs during the season, and this year he’s lengthened out the ups and shortened the downs, essentially. And you end up with what you see through the first week of July. It’s a good hitter that’s continuing to get better.”