The Chicago Cubs were dead and buried Friday, but somehow found a way to dig themselves out of their grave at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Ill.
The Cubs led the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-1 after seven innings. What looked like an easy win for Chicago got turned upside down in a hurry in the top of the 8th inning.
D-Backs hitters Randall Grichuk, Josh Naylor, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. all got on base with singles to start the inning. Arizona third baseman plate them all with a grand slam to cut the lead down to 7-5.
458 feet! Eugenio Suárez gets the @Dbacks right back in it!
— MLB (@MLB) April 18, 2025
(MLB x @DairyQueen) pic.twitter.com/oTZu1i381L
After another run scored, the lineup turned back over to Grichuk with two men on and two outs. Grichuk bounced a breaking ball toward third base that eluded the glove of infielder Gage Workman to give the Diamondbacks an 8-7 lead.
Gurriel then extended the lead to 11-7 with a three-run homer, giving Arizona its 10th run of the inning before the third out.
LOURDES GURRIEL MAKES IT A 10-SPOT FOR THE DBACKS IN THE 8TH pic.twitter.com/XLmcHdH3yh
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 18, 2025
The Cubs saw the D-Backs’ 10-spot and put up a huge crooked number of their own in the bottom of the 8th. Chicago batters Nico Hoerner and Pete Crow-Armstrong started the inning with a hit by pitch and a walk, respectively. Catcher Carson Kelly cut the lead to one with a three-run blast to left field.
THIS GAME!
— MLB (@MLB) April 18, 2025
Carson Kelly hits his second homer of the game 💪 pic.twitter.com/taWb5GhzaO
The scene was set for Cubs slugger Kyle Tucker to play hero with a man on and one out. The three-time All-Star rocked a first-pitch sinker to right field to give Chicago a 12-11 lead.
KYLE TUCKER FOR THE LEAD! pic.twitter.com/w4HLI4vmhv
— MLB (@MLB) April 18, 2025
Seiya Suzuki tacked on an insurance run with a solo shot right after Tucker. The Cubs won the contest 13-11 despite giving up double-digit runs in the 8th inning.
Chicago became the first team in 113 years to allow 10 runs in a single inning after the 3rd and still win the game. The 16-run 8th was also the highest-scoring inning in Wrigley Field’s over 100-year history.
Not bad for a random Friday game in April.
