Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (9/24/24): Cubs 10, Phillies 4 -Big Innings Lead to Win
The Phillies may have been suffering from a championship celebration hangover at Citizens Bank Park Tuesday, and the Cubs were able to take advantage. Chicago scored 10 runs in a pair of big innings to win and assure they won’t have a losing record for a second consecutive season.
Bryce Harper gave Philadelphia the early lead when he hit a solo home run off of Justin Steele in the bottom of the 1st. The North Siders put together their first big rally with a six-spot in the 2nd after loading the bases against Philly opener Tanner Banks with one out.
Taijuan Walker replaced Banks and immediately walked Miguel Amaya and Ian Happ to force in a pair of runs and give the Cubs a 2-1 advantage. After a Dansby Swanson RBI groundout, Seiya Suzuki ripped a single up the middle to tally two more. Cody Bellinger capped off the big frame with his own RBI single to make it 6-1.
The Phillies got one of the runs back on a single by Garrett Stubbs in the bottom of the 2nd. Chicago’s second big inning came against Kolby Allard in the 6th when Bellinger chopped a ground ball over Harper at first base with the bags loaded. The three-run triple put the game out of reach and Bellinger came home on an Isaac Paredes grounder to put the road team ahead 10-2.
Kyle Schwarber hit a two-run dinger off Hayden Wesneski in the 8th but it was way too little, way too late as the Cubs went on to win 10-4. (Box score)
Key Moment
The Cubs took full advantage of their bases-loaded opportunity in the 2nd inning, which made the difference.
Why the Cubs Won
Scoring double-digit runs is usually a pretty good way to win a baseball game.
Stats That Matter
- Steele ended his 2024 season on a strong note and most importantly was healthy: 4 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 3 K, and 0 BB.
- Bellinger had a very productive day with three hits and four RBI.
- Suzuki had a couple of knocks but had to leave the game with a sprained ankle.
- Nico Hoerner had three more hits as he finishes the season strong.
Bottom Line
Not that it really matters without a playoff berth, but the Cubs will not have a losing record in 2024. Just hovering around the .500 mark should not be acceptable for a team with the resources Chicago has. Hopefully, they will make a big push in the offseason to rise above the mediocrity they have been mired in the last two years.
On Deck
The rubber match of the series is Wednesday at 5:05pm CT. Javier Assad faces Cristopher Sánchez in a game broadcast on Marquee and 670 The Score.