Pinch-hitter Mike Tauchman delivered a clutch double that scored Dansby Swanson for the winning run, propelling the Chicago Cubs to a dramatic 5-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night. The Cubs rallied with three runs in the ninth inning to secure the win.
Trailing 4-2, Cody Bellinger sparked the comeback with a solo homer. Nico Hoerner then singled and stole second with two outs. Swanson’s RBI double tied the game, setting the stage for Tauchman, who smacked a 2-2 fastball from Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley down the left field line, clinching Chicago’s second consecutive victory.
Both Swanson and Tauchman were down 0-2 in the count. Helsley, who had saved all five previous games against the Cubs this season and led the majors with 33 saves, was unable to close out this one.
With their backs against the wall, Swanson and Tauchman managed to deliver key hits. “He made two really good pitches, and at that point, you’ve got to swing if it’s close,” Tauchman said. Swanson praised the team’s perseverance, stating, “The at-bats that inning were so good. We came through with some big hits at the end.”
Facing Helsley for the sixth time this season likely helped. “Familiarity breeds confidence,” Tauchman noted. “There’s no secrets when you see a guy.”
Helsley (4-4) suffered his third blown save of the season, allowing a season-high three runs. St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol acknowledged Helsley’s overall excellence but conceded, “You’re going to have games like that. Unfortunately, this one didn’t work out.”
Reliever Nate Pearson (1-1) earned the win with two scoreless innings.
In the seventh, rookie Masyn Winn hit a two-run homer and Nolan Arenado added an RBI single, giving St. Louis a 4-2 lead before the Cubs’ comeback.