In a game dripping with drama and characteristic of their storied resilience, the Chicago Cubs clawed their way to a gripping 14-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday evening. This incredible comeback was spearheaded by an unrelenting offense that lit up the scoreboard with 11 unanswered runs, overcoming a daunting 10-3 deficit that had stretched into the sixth inning.
The monumental turnaround was historic in its nature. The Cubs became the first team since the 2019 San Diego Padres to erase a seven-plus-run deficit in the seventh inning or later. As they chipped away at the Pirates' substantial lead, the energy in the stadium shifted palpably with each passing at-bat, snowballing into an unforgettable win.
A standout in this electrifying game was Christian Bethancourt, who recently joined the Cubs on July 5. Bethancourt’s performance was nothing short of spectacular. Going 3-for-5 at the plate, he drove in seven runs and fell just a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. His brilliant display earned him a place in the annals of Cubs history, becoming only the sixth catcher since 1901 to drive in seven or more runs in a single game.
The catalyst for the Cubs' offensive eruption was the departure of Pirates starter Paul Skenes at the start of the sixth inning. Skenes, in only his third career outing against the Cubs, had kept the Chicago bats relatively quiet. However, once he was pulled, the floodgates opened. Pirates relievers Aroldis Chapman and David Bednar bore the brunt of the onslaught. The duo combined to surrender eight earned runs on six hits and five walks while only managing to record five outs between them.
Each hit seemed to stoke the Cubs' fire, moving them closer to an improbable victory that will be remembered for years to come. The Cubs' win on Wednesday marked their fifth instance in the last 50 years of securing a victory when facing a seven-plus-run deficit in the seventh inning or later. Notably, no other Major League Baseball team has managed to match this number of such comebacks over the same period.
Looking ahead, the Cubs will face the Pirates once more in a three-game set next week, undoubtedly riding the high of this remarkable win. For now, however, Chicago can revel in an exhilarating show of grit and determination, marking yet another extraordinary chapter in their long and eventful history.