CUBS NOTES: Crow-Armstrong, Morel Each Homer Twice; Taillon Tosses 5.2 IP In Win
The Chicago Cubs wrapped up their seven-game roadtrip with an 8–3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday.
With the win, the Cubs went 5–2 on the roadie and complete the first half of the 2024 season with a 47-51 record, 8.5 games back of the NL Central Division lead and 3.5 games back of the Wild Card.
Despite falling behind by two runs in the second inning, the Cubs roared back with six home runs from four different players, including two each from Pete Crow-Armstrong and Christopher Morel.
Starting pitcher Jameson Taillon tossed 5.2 innings and allowed seven hits and three earned runs and struck out three, improving to 7–4 on the year.
— Taillon pitched into the 6th inning for the 12th time this season. Including Sunday, three of those have come against the Cardinals. Taillon heads into the All-Star break having won all three starts in July, holding opposing batters to a .214 average this month.
— In the 2nd inning, Pedro Pagés hit a sharp line drive to left field, scoring Brendan Donovan and Nolan Arenado, giving the Cardinals an early 2–0 lead before being thrown out at 2nd base.
— Moving on to the 3rd inning, Crow-Armstrong belted a solo home run to right field, cutting the Cubs’ deficit to one run. Later in the inning, Seiya Suzuki hit a single to second baseman Nolan Gorman, allowing Nico Hoerner to score, tying the game at 2–2.
— In the 5th inning, Tomás Nido hit a home run to right field, putting the Cubs ahead 3–2. Crow-Armstrong then hit his second home run of the game and third of the year, this time to center field, making the score 4–2.
— The 22-year-old outfielder collected his eighth multi-hit of the season and first multi-homer game of his young career on Sunday. The 22-year-old went 4-for-14 (.286) and drew two walks in the four-game series.
— In the 6th inning, Morel hit his 17th home run to left field, a two-run shot, making it a 6–2 score in favor of the Cubs.
— In the bottom of the 6th, Alec Burleson hit a home run to right field, bringing the Cardinals back within three runs. In the 8th inning, Ian Happ hit a home run to center field, restoring the Cubs’ four-run lead, 7–3. Then, Morel belted his second home run of the game, his 18th of the season, to left field, extending the lead to 8–3.
— Sunday also marked Morel’s first multi-homer game of his career. The Cubs’ infielder recorded at least one hit in all four games of the series and is hitting .241 over his last seven games.
— The Cubs resume the second half of the 2024 season at home for a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, beginning Friday, July 19.
