Pete Crow-Armstrong's 20th homer wasn't enough as the Cubs fell 8-7 to the Brewers on June 19. See how PCA's power surge was wasted in a wild slugfest.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was the kind of electric Thursday afternoon at Wrigley Field that you dream about in February. A season-high crowd of 41,078 was buzzing, the bleachers were packed, and the home runs were flying out of the park. Unfortunately, more of them flew off Brewers' bats as the Cubs' furious late-inning rally fell just short in a gut-wrenching 8-7 loss to Milwaukee.
Pete Crow-Armstrong has now hit five home runs in five games against the Milwaukee Brewers this season.
If there's one massive silver lining from today's loss, it's the continued emergence of Pete Crow-Armstrong as a legitimate star. In the very first inning, PCA blasted a two-run shot for his 20th home run of the season, sending the Wrigley faithful into a frenzy. The man simply owns Milwaukee. It was his fifth homer in just five games against the Brewers this year, a staggering display of dominance against a division rival. While the Cubs need more consistent offense, PCA is proving to be the lineup's most dangerous weapon day in and day out.
What was expected to be another solid outing for Jameson Taillon quickly devolved into a home run derby. Taillon, who had won his last five starts, just didn't have his best stuff, getting tagged for five runs on eight hits in only four innings. The Brewers' lineup, featuring a three-run blast from Isaac Collins and a two-run shot from rookie Caleb Durbin, jumped all over him. The Cubs' bats did their best to keep pace, with Dansby Swanson and Ian Happ joining PCA in the home run parade. They clawed back from a five-run deficit to make it a one-run game, but Brewers closer Trevor Megill shut the door, leaving the tying run stranded and securing the 8-7 Milwaukee victory.
A tough division loss always stings, but it's important to keep the bigger picture in view. Even after dealing top prospect Cam Smith in the blockbuster trade for Kyle Tucker, the Cubs' future remains incredibly bright. The organization still boasts seven players on MLB's Top 100 Prospects list, tied for the most in all of baseball. Farm director Jason Kanzler recently spoke about the immense depth at both Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa. This wealth of talent not only provides a pipeline for future call-ups but also gives the front office a treasure chest of assets to potentially swing another impact deal before the trade deadline.
Losing a high-scoring heartbreaker to the Brewers is a tough pill to swallow, especially at home. The Cubs will need to get a better performance from their starter tomorrow to even the series. But between PCA's incredible power display and the knowledge that the farm system is brimming with talent, there's every reason to believe this team has the firepower and the flexibility to make a serious run. One game doesn't define a season, and this Cubs team has plenty of fight left.
