Cubs lose to Cardinals 8-6 on July 6, 2025, as a bullpen collapse wastes Michael Busch's near-cycle. See how Yohel Pozo's late homer stunned Wrigley Field.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a game that had everything: offensive fireworks, a historic hot streak, and ultimately, late-inning heartbreak. The Chicago Cubs looked poised to secure a series win against the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, but a catastrophic bullpen collapse in the eighth inning led to a stunning 8-6 loss, silencing the Wrigley Field faithful and wasting a Herculean effort from the offense.
Michael Busch finished a triple short of the cycle with a home run, double, and single, extending his consecutive hits streak to seven.
The trouble started before the first pitch. With Jameson Taillon landing on the injured list with a calf injury, the Cubs were forced into a bullpen game. Opener Drew Pomeranz struggled, allowing his first two earned runs of the season in just a third of an inning. Though the offense battled back to take the lead, the bullpen couldn't hold on. The floodgates opened in the eighth, with Brad Keller getting tagged for five runs, capped by a soul-crushing, pinch-hit three-run homer by Yohel Pozo that proved to be the game-winner. It was a brutal reminder of the volatility that comes with a taxed pitching staff.
On a day defined by pitching woes, Michael Busch was a supernova. Coming off a three-homer game Friday, he continued his torrid pace, falling just a triple shy of the cycle. He homered, doubled, and singled, extending a remarkable streak to seven consecutive hits before finally striking out in the seventh. Busch has become the undeniable engine of this Cubs offense, a force at the plate who gives the team a chance to win every single night.
Busch wasn't the only Cub swinging a hot bat. Catcher Carson Kelly added a homer and a double, continuing a fantastic stretch that has seen him hit .407 with a 1.152 OPS over his last 10 games. He's solidified himself as the team's top backstop, a crucial development with Miguel Amaya still on the mend. However, Kelly's heroics underscore the team's current predicament. The injury to Taillon, which prompted the recall of lefty Jordan Wicks for depth, puts immense pressure on the remaining starters and a bullpen that just showed its cracks.
When a loss stings this much, it helps to look at the big picture. A recent ranking from USA Today placed the Cubs' farm system as the third-best in all of baseball. With top prospects like Matt Shaw, Owen Caissie, Cade Horton, Moises Ballesteros, and James Triantos developing rapidly and several key pieces already at Triple-A, the future remains incredibly bright. This pipeline of talent is a testament to the front office's strategy and ensures that reinforcements are on the way, providing a crucial safety net for days like today.
Saturday's loss was a gut punch, no doubt about it. But the Cubs are still in first place in the NL Central, and they have a chance to take the series tomorrow. They'll hand the ball to Matthew Boyd (8-3, 2.65 ERA) for the rubber match, hoping their veteran lefty can play stopper and wash away the bitter taste of this defeat. One game doesn't define a season, and with an offense this explosive, the Cubs are never truly out of a fight. See you tomorrow for the finale.
