Cardinals crush Cubs 8-2 on June 24 as a four-homer barrage sinks starter Ben Brown. See how one disastrous inning sealed the Cubs' lopsided loss at Wrigley.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a frustrating Tuesday for Cubs fans waking up to the fallout from an 8-2 drubbing at the hands of the St. Louis Cardinals. A four-homer barrage from the Redbirds buried starter Ben Brown and the North Siders, sending the Cubs to their fourth loss in the last five games. The game felt like a microcosm of the team's recent struggles: a few glimmers of hope quickly extinguished by one tough inning and a critical missed opportunity.
The Cubs' farm system continues to be one of the strongest in baseball... the organization still boasts seven Top 100 prospects.
The game was effectively decided in a disastrous fifth inning. Starter Ben Brown, who had been serviceable until that point, unraveled as the Cardinals teed off. Alec Burleson and Brendan Donovan hit back-to-back two-run homers, and by the time the dust settled, Brown's night was over after allowing eight runs on nine hits. Lars Nootbaar and Nolan Gorman had also gone deep earlier. The Cubs' best chance to answer came in the bottom of the fifth when they loaded the bases, only for Ian Happ to ground into an inning-ending double play, killing the rally and the mood at Wrigley.
Despite the lopsided score, there were a few individual performances worth noting. Veteran catcher Carson Kelly continued his quietly excellent season, driving in one of the Cubs' two runs. He's providing a steady hand and a solid bat, putting together his best offensive campaign since 2019 and anchoring a catching corps that has been a surprising strength. On the pitching side, the brightest spot was the return of Michael Fulmer. Called up from Triple-A Iowa earlier in the day, the righty reliever stepped in and delivered two much-needed scoreless innings, a promising sign for a bullpen that needs reliable arms.
The cavalry might be just around the corner. The biggest news for the pitching staff is the expected return of ace Shota Imanaga to the rotation later this week. His presence would be a massive boost for a starting group that has been scuffling in June. Looking at the bigger picture, the front office has options. Even after dealing a top prospect for Kyle Tucker, the Cubs' farm system remains loaded with seven players in MLB's Top 100. This depth, as noted by farm director Jason Kanzler, gives the team immense flexibility to either call up reinforcements or make a significant splash at the trade deadline to address pitching needs.
Last night's loss was a tough pill to swallow, underscoring a concerning trend for a team with playoff aspirations. However, the season is a marathon, not a sprint. With Shota Imanaga's return imminent and a front office holding one of the league's most valuable hands in its farm system, the tools for a turnaround are readily available. The coming weeks will be a true test of this team's resilience and management's strategy as the trade deadline looms.
