Cubs 4, Yankees 1: Shōta Imanaga leads the way

The Cubs homered twice and won the series from the Yankees.

After a blowout loss Friday, the Cubs really needed to get back on track and take a pair from the Yankees, and that’s exactly what they did, finishing up with a solid 4-1 victory Sunday behind outstanding pitching from Shōta Imanaga and home runs by Michael Busch and Dansby Swanson.

Busch, in fact, did not waste any time giving the Cubs a 1-0 lead, sending Will Warren’s second pitch into the Yankee Stadium seats for a home run [VIDEO].

That’s right, a leadoff home run from Busch, who was in that spot for the first time in his MLB career. A few notes on that from BCB’s JohnW53:

Michael Busch’s home run was the 111th by a Cub as the first batter of the game (i.e., on the road) since 1912, first season for which baseball-reference.com has searchable home run data. He became the 59th different Cub to turn the trick and the 37th who has done it once. Alfonso Soriano did it 12 times; Dexter Fowler, seven; Brian McRae, Ian Happ and Rick Monday, five. One of Happ’s was on June 25 at St. Louis.

And about a Cubs first baseman leading off, it’s not as rare as you might think. The last one to do it was Patrick Wisdom, who played first and led off May 18, 2024 against the Pirates at Wrigley Field. All told, in the expansion era (since 1962) a Cubs first baseman has led off 118 times, including today. Here’s the entire list before today; Anthony Rizzo did it 64 times and Rick Monday 32.

Imanaga got touched up by a solo homer from Giancarlo Stanton in the second inning that tied the game 1-1, but that was the only hit he allowed until a leadoff single by Austin Wells in the sixth.

By the time of that second hit, the Cubs had taken a 3-1 lead in the top of the sixth. Carson Kelly doubled, and one out later the Yankees pulled Warren and replaced him with Ian Hamilton.

Again, a Yankee pitcher’s second pitch was deposited into the seats, this one a two-run homer by Swanson [VIDEO].

That produced this fact from BCB’s JohnW53:

This is the first time the Cubs have hit multiple home runs in a game at any version of Yankee Stadium.

They hit none in two games of the 1932 World Series and one in both games of the 1938 Series.They had homered once in eight of their previous 13 regular-season games at the stadium.

The Cubs have hit multiple homers in 15 games at Wrigley Field against the Yankees, including once in the 1938 Series.

In the top of the seventh, the Cubs extended the lead. With two out, Seiya Suzuki doubled [VIDEO].

Pete Crow-Armstrong was the next hitter [VIDEO].

That’s just great baserunning by Suzuki, who never stopped, giving PCA the RBI and scoring the Cubs’ fourth run.

Imanaga completed the seventh inning with 91 pitches (55 strikes). He allowed just the two hits and struck out six. Here are the six K’s [VIDEO].

Here’s more on Imanaga’s outing [VIDEO].

More on Shōta’s great outing from John:

The last Cubs starter to go seven or more innings and allow one run on two hits was . . . Imanaga, on July 21 of last year against the Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field.

The run came on a homer, same as today.

He walked one, the same as today.

He struck out 10. Today, he fanned six.

Drew Pomeranz threw a 1-2-3 eighth and Daniel Palencia recorded his 12th save with a 1-2-3 ninth. Here’s the final out [VIDEO].

From John about this game result:

Until yesterday and today, the Cubs never had won back-to-back games at Yankee Stadium. In the only previous series they won there, in 2023, they won the first game, lost the second and won the third.

At the time this recap posted, the Brewers were well ahead of the Nationals, so the Cubs’ lead in the NL Central at the break will be one game. More from John:

This is the first season in which the Cubs have occupied first place at the break for the All-Star Game since 2019, when they were 47-43 and led the Brewers by half a game. They had been first in 2016 (53-35), second in 2017 (43-45) and first in 2018 (55-38).

There was no All-Star Game or break in 2020. In 2021-24, the Cubs were third (44-46), fourth (35-57), third (42-47) and fifth (47-51).

Here are a few postgame remarks from Craig Counsell:

Counsell is right. With Imanaga and Boyd, the Cubs really do have two top starters. Now go out and get another solid arm before the trade deadline and the Cubs should be able to match up with just about anyone in October.

This was a very satisfying series result after the blowout Friday. The Cubs had a decent 3-3 road trip, not a given after losing two of three in Minnesota, and are 8-4 in July. At 18 games over .500, they have matched their season high. I might get flamed for this, but…

(And remember, all that means is that I have no complaints. Feel free to discuss anything game-related here.)

Kyle Tucker, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Matthew Boyd are headed to Atlanta for the All-Star Game. Tucker and PCA will start, and Boyd will attend the festivities but won’t pitch. Meanwhile, the MLB Draft will begin soon, at 5 p.m. CT, and we’ll have an open thread for Draft commentary posting here at 4:30 p.m. CT.

As for the rest of the Cubs, they will resume the 2025 schedule Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field against the Boston Red Sox. The Cubs are opening the post-All-Star schedule with Colin Rea starting Friday’s game against Lucas Giolito for Boston. (Imanaga is scheduled for Saturday and this will give him an extra day of rest). Friday’s game time is 1:20 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network (and MLB Network outside the Cubs and Red Sox market territories).

And please stick around BCB through the break as we’ll have coverage of the Home Run Derby, the All-Star Game and many other Cubs- and baseball-related topics throughout the week.