Justin Turner's walk-off homer gave the Cubs a 5-3 win over the Orioles on Aug 3, 2025. See how JT's clutch hit secured the series for Chicago at Wrigley.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Wrigleyville erupted. In the bottom of the ninth, with the game knotted at 3-3 and the series on the line, a new Cubs legend was forged. Justin Turner, called upon to pinch-hit, stepped into the box and delivered the kind of moment fans will be talking about for the rest of the season, launching a two-run, walk-off home run to send the Baltimore Orioles packing and secure a massive 5-3 victory for the North Siders.
With one swing, Justin Turner sent a 92.8 mph fastball, Dansby Swanson, and the entire city of Chicago soaring.
It was pure magic. With Dansby Swanson on first, manager Craig Counsell made the call for the veteran Turner to face Orioles reliever Keegan Akin. Turner wasted no time, ambushing a 92.8 mph four-seam fastball and sending it screaming over the left-center field wall. The blast, his third homer of the year, wasn't just a game-winner; it was a statement. It cemented Turner's status as a 2025 cult hero, the clutch bat the team can count on when the pressure is highest. On a day when the Wrigley winds made every fly ball an adventure, Turner's shot cut through the noise and delivered an unforgettable win.
The late-game heroics were only possible because of timely hitting throughout the afternoon. The Cubs scraped together runs against a tough Orioles squad, starting with a Seiya Suzuki RBI single in the first. Ian Happ followed with a crucial RBI double, and Dansby Swanson gave the Cubs a temporary lead with a go-ahead RBI single in the sixth. Even Kyle Tucker played a key role, recording a multi-hit game, including a hard-hit single in the seventh inning with a 96.2 mph exit velocity that kept the pressure on. It was a grind-it-out performance that set the stage for the ninth-inning fireworks.
On the mound, the biggest story was the much-needed bounce-back from Colin Rea. After allowing nine earned runs in his last two starts, Rea delivered a solid, competitive outing that kept the Cubs in the game from the jump. He handed the ball over to a bullpen that, while not perfect, did its job. Brad Keller navigated a clean eighth inning, but the Orioles managed to tie the game against Daniel Palencia in the top of the ninth. Despite the blown save, the 'pen limited the damage, preventing the Orioles from taking the lead and giving the offense one more chance to be the hero.
It was a quiet day for the Cubs' future stars. The High-A South Bend Cubs had their Sunday matchup against the Dayton Dragons cancelled due to rain, putting a pause on any prospect action for the day.
This is the kind of win that can define a season. Securing a series victory against a quality opponent like Baltimore keeps the Cubs just two games behind the Brewers in the NL Central race. With momentum on their side and a new hero in Justin Turner, the team has to build on this emotional high. Every game matters from here on out, and dramatic, hard-fought wins like this are exactly what a playoff-bound team is made of. The hunt for October continues.
