Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (7/14/24): Cubs 8, Cardinals 3 – Home Run Derby Starts Early at Busch Stadium
The Cubs needed to respond Sunday after being swept by the Cardinals in Saturday’s doubleheader and they did just that with a very important win going into the All-Star break. Chicago used a power surge with six home runs to bury St. Louis and earn a relatively comfortable 8-3 victory.
The Cardinals took an early lead on Jameson Taillon in the bottom of the 2nd inning. Backup catcher Pedro Pagés hit a two-run single off the left field wall before being thrown out at second by Ian Happ but the home team was ahead 2-0.
The Cubs responded immediately when Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a solo home run to right off of Miles Mikolas and Seiya Suzuki followed with an RBI single to tie the score in the 3rd. The power barrage was just getting started for the road squad, as Tomás Nido and PCA went back-to-back to give them a 4-2 advantage in the 5th.
PCA Power 💪 pic.twitter.com/fe7T5zgtyE
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 14, 2024
Christopher Morel finally broke out of his slump with a two-run bomb in the 6th that ended Mikolas’s night and put the North Siders ahead by four runs. Alec Burleson cut the deficit to 6-3 with his own solo shot off Taillon in the bottom of the frame.
The Cubs went back-to-back again in the 8th inning with Happ and Morel doing the deed against Andrew Kittredge. The Cardinals got a couple of runners on base against Jorge López in the 9th but it fizzled out and Chicago sealed the win. (Box score)
That makes *checks notes* six homers on the day!#YouHaveToSeeIt pic.twitter.com/L1G0LVMIcV
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 14, 2024
Key Moment
The Cubs responding to tie the game immediately after falling behind was huge. With the sweep Saturday it was starting to feel like things were going wrong again, so a quick response was important.
Why the Cubs Won
The defense was terrific turning several hard-hit balls into outs and the offense provided a lot of power while continuing to add to the lead.
Stats That Matter
- Taillon wasn’t at his sharpest Sunday but did a decent job with a big assist from his defense: 5.2 IP, 3 R, 7 H, 3 K, and 0 BB.
- PCA has struggled with the bat early but he can drive the ball and maybe this will be the start of a big tear in the second half.
- The Cubs need Morel to get going again and this was a very good sign moving forward.
- Happ had two more extra-base hits as his roll continued.
Bottom Line
The Cubs were able to go 5-2 on this difficult road trip. It would have been nicer to win Saturday night and go 6-1 but winning 8 of 11 is nothing to sneeze at. Chicago now has a chance to get back in the race after the break, perhaps not a big chance, still, it’s better than nothing.
On Deck
The Cubs are off for the All-Star break until Friday at 1:20pm CT against the Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field.