Write a script for today’s game and I’m not sure you beat this one.
At a fully-opened Wrigley Field for Opening Day 2.0, the Cubs host the rival Cardinals and go down 5-1 early. Then they start chipping away in the middle innings, pull ahead late, and win the dang game in front of fans desperate to be there for that kind of moment. HUGE. Memorable.
Joc Pederson got the Cubs on the board with his early homer, and put them over the top late. Good day for him, eh?
Kohl Stewart showed off some good individual pitches – the cutter away from righties and the two-seamer at the top of the zone – but his command was pretty weak for the first four innings, especially to the arm-side. And then things went completely off the rails in the 5th, which started with a four-pitch walk to the opposing pitcher. It was actually eight straight balls to the opposing pitcher, the last three of which looked like pure yips. From there, he was simply in “I have to throw a strike somehow” mode, which got him clobbered twice, and that was it.
That set up the 5-1 deficit.
The Cubs started the comeback in the bottom of the 5th, though, with a Wilson Contreras leadoff walk, a one-out Jason Heyward single, a passed ball on Yadi Molina, a Sergio Alcantara triple, and then a throwing error on Molilna. That plated three, and made the game 5-4.
From there, Anthony Rizzo put together the longest at bat to result in a homer in Cubs recent history, tying the game at 5 and putting Wrigley Field in rockers. Then Joc Pederson scored two with his third hit of the day, a knock off the wall to score Jason Heyward and Jake Marisnick. From down 5-1 to up 7-5. All the while, the Cubs bullpen kept the Cardinals stuck right where they were.
Willson Contreras added the exclamation point to the Cubs’ biggest 5th inning (or later) comeback win against the Cardinals since 2003.