Cubs secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday after Alex Bregman hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning and Pete Crow-Armstrong scored the decisive run in the 11th.
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Crow-Armstrong opened the ninth with a single before Bregman launched a 1-2 knuckle curve from Louis Varland just inside the left-field foul pole. The blast, his 12th of the season, levelled the game at 2-2 and ended Varland’s perfect save record.
Toronto had taken control earlier through Alejandro Kirk. He collected four hits, matching his career high, and drove in Andres Gimenez with a seventh-inning single to give the Blue Jays a 2-0 lead.
Dylan Cease looked set for the win after allowing only two hits and striking out 10 across seven scoreless innings. However, Bregman’s late homer denied him the victory.
The Cubs finally settled the contest in the 11th. Crow-Armstrong reached base with another single before Seiya Suzuki received an intentional walk. Crow-Armstrong then stole third, and catcher Brandon Valenzuela’s throw sailed past third baseman Josh Smith. The error allowed Crow-Armstrong to race home with the winning run.
Trent Thornton earned the win after pitching a scoreless 11th inning. Brendon Little took the loss after giving up the decisive run.
Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Baltimore Orioles 4-1, with Zach Neto hitting a three-run homer to prevent a series sweep.
Cincinnati also completed a 6-5 victory over the Athletics after hitting four solo home runs and drawing two bases-loaded walks. Elly De La Cruz, Sal Stewart, JJ Bleday and Tyler Stephenson all homered for the Reds.
The New York Mets completed a sweep of the Cleveland Guardians with a 13-6 win. Francisco Lindor hit a three-run homer, while Luis Torrens added a two-run shot.
Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 behind a strong debut from Dustin May. The right-hander allowed two runs over six innings after joining Milwaukee at the trade deadline.
Philadelphia Phillies beat the Washington Nationals 7-3 as Cristopher Sanchez recorded his major-league-leading 15th victory. Bryson Stott contributed two doubles, while J.T. Realmuto and Bryce Harper each scored twice.
Detroit Tigers delivered one of the day’s biggest wins, shutting out the Seattle Mariners 11-0. Framber Valdez pitched seven scoreless innings, while Dillon Dingler and Kevin McGonigle both hit two-run homers.
The results highlighted another busy night in Major League Baseball, with several teams strengthening their positions through key wins and strong individual performances.
