This is not a headline you expected to see today.
Justin Turner has been a favorite Cub to dislike, by some, this year. His production is down, he’s 40, and he doesn’t really play good defense anymore. With the acquisition of Willi Castro, Turner’s place is basically pinch-hitting from time to time.
On yet another gorgeous weather day at Wrigley Field Sunday, Turner turned that into a walkoff home run. One pitch is all he needed, a fastball right down the middle:
… and Wrigley Field exploded, as Turner’s blast gave the Cubs a much-needed 5-3 win over the Orioles.
I’ll get to video of that a bit later, first here are some walk-off facts from BCB’s JohnW53:
This was the Cubs’ sixth walk-off win of the season.
According to my research, it was their 996th walk-off win in the regular season since 1876.
It was their 898th of the Modern Era (since 1901) and 793rd at Wrigley Field.
It was their 955th at home.
It was the 195th on a home run, 185th of the Modern Era and 181st at Wrigley.
That’d be fun to get to 1,000 walk-off wins sometime this year, no? It was also the first walk-off home run for the Cubs since Mike Tauchman walked off the White Sox with a homer June 5, 2024.
Let’s rewind to the beginning.
The Cubs scored a pair in the first. Michael Busch hit the routiniest of routine flies to right and… Orioles right fielder Jeremiah Jackson just dropped it. Busch wound up on second. Kyle Tucker sacrificed him to third and Seiya Suzuki’s single made it 1-0 [VIDEO].
Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a sharp line drive to second base for the second out, and then Carson Kelly walked, advancing Suzuki to second.
Ian Happ’s double scored Suzuki to make it 2-0 [VIDEO].
The Orioles scored one off Colin Rea in the third after a leadoff HBP, and another in the fourth to tie things up. With two out in the fifth, Rea allowed a single and Craig Counsell called on Drew Pomeranz. Pomeranz walked the first hitter he faced, but then struck out Adley Rutschman to end the inning. Pomeranz also threw the sixth and retired the side in order.
About Rea’s short outing, from BCB’s JohnW53:
This was the Cubs’ 111th game. It was the 28th, about one of every four, in which their starter did not complete five innings. That includes five starts by openers.It was the sixth by a non-opener in which he allowed two or fewer runs:
2: Taillon (4⅔) and Rea today (4⅔)
1: Rea (4⅔ and 3⅔), Brown (4)
0: Imanaga (4)
Rea did have some help from his defense — check out this great play by Dansby Swanson in the fourth [VIDEO].
The Cubs took the lead in the sixth after the first two hitters were retired, though the second of those outs was a rocket of a line drive by Happ snared at third base.
After that Willi Castro singled and went to third on a single by Nico Hoerner.
That brought up Swanson [VIDEO].
New Cubs reliever Andrew Kittredge threw a 1-2-3 seventh and Brad Keller a scoreless eighth after a leadoff walk (that made me nervous after Saturday!).
Daniel Palencia entered to a loud ovation for the save opportunity and… did not succeed. He allowed a leadoff double to Colton Cowser, then retired the next two hitters. But the Orioles sent up a pinch-hitter, Ryan Noda, who had literally just been recalled from Triple-A earlier in the day. Noda singled, scoring Cowser with the tying run. It was just the second blown save for Palencia and first since May 19 at Miami. He had recorded 15 straight saves since then. It happens.
The Cubs wasted no time in the ninth. Swanson grounded to third, but O’s third baseman Jordan Westburg threw the ball wide and Swanson was safe.
Then Turner was sent up to bat for Michael Busch against the left-handed Keegan Akin. Busch has been in a bit of a slump, true, and I thought maybe Turner was going to bunt.
Nope. One pitch, ballgame! [VIDEO]
Here’s Turner being interviewed postgame [VIDEO].
That was a thrilling way to end this game — especially after the crushing loss Saturday — and big props to Turner for being prepared and getting that good swing on a first-pitch fastball.
The Cubs remain two games behind the Brewers, as Milwaukee completed a three-game sweep of the woeful Nationals. The Brewers scored 38 runs in the series, that’s just nuts. It can’t last forever. Milwaukee’s next series is at Atlanta. Perhaps the Braves will give them tougher competition.
Meanwhile, the Cubs will host the Reds for a three-game series beginning Monday evening. Michael Soroka will make his Cubs debut starting the series opener and Nick Lodolo will go for Cincinnati. Game time Monday is 7:05 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.