Cardinals lose 5-2 to the Cubs on July 6, 2025, as bats go silent against Matthew Boyd. Michael Busch's homer leads Chicago in the series finale loss.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Just when you thought the Cardinals had seized the momentum at Wrigley Field, Sunday served as a cold dose of reality. The thrilling highs of Saturday's comeback win evaporated under the Chicago sun as the offense went dormant, leading to a frustrating 5-2 loss to the Cubs in the series finale.
The heart of the order vanished, with key bats like Brendan Donovan, Masyn Winn, and Willson Contreras all going hitless against a dominant Cubs pitching staff.
The story of the game was Cubs starter Matthew Boyd (8-3), who was simply masterful. The lefty kept the Cardinals off balance all afternoon, cruising through the lineup and preventing any semblance of a rally. While St. Louis couldn't string anything together, Erick Fedde (3-8) battled on the mound but couldn't contain a red-hot Michael Busch, who tormented the Cardinals with a 3-for-5 day, including a solo home run and a double. It was a classic case of one team executing perfectly while the other couldn't find its rhythm.
The silence wasn't just limited to the Cardinals' bats. The entire organization seemed to be holding its breath on Sunday. There were no roster moves, no injury updates, and no trade whispers to distract from the on-field struggles. While stability can be a good thing, on a day like today, it amplifies the need for the current group to perform. With the team losing a key series and falling further behind in the NL Central standings, the lack of external reinforcements puts the onus squarely on the players in the clubhouse to find their consistency.
Losing a rubber match to a division rival always stings, especially after the kind of dramatic win the Cardinals pulled off Saturday. This loss erases that momentum and sends the team packing with a bitter taste. The question now is how they respond. Can the offense, which has shown flashes of brilliance, find the day-to-day consistency needed to make a real push? The pitching needs to provide more quality starts, and the bats simply have to show up more reliably, especially against tough left-handers like Boyd.
The Cardinals will head home to regroup before their next series, needing to quickly flush this disappointing performance. The road through the NL Central is never easy, and games like this are a stark reminder that momentum is a fragile thing. Fans will be watching closely to see if the team can reignite the offense and get back in the win column.
