Nothing better than waking up and realizing that Miles Mikolas is the opposing starting pitcher. The Chicago Cubs entered Friday's series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals with a magic number of two to clinch home field in next week's Wild Card round against the San Diego Padres. Mikolas was crushed back on the 4th of July, when he allowed six home runs to the Cubs in six innings. Well, the Cubs did it again, crushing the Cardinals' pitcher en route to a 12-1 blowout win.
Nico Hoerner homered in the first inning and then Pete Crow-Armstrong entered the record books in style. The center fielder hit his 30th home run of the season, cranking a curve ball to right field in the fourth inning that gave the Cubs a 3-0 lead.
Crow-Armstrong joined Sammy Sosa as the only two players in Cubs' franchise history to hit at least 30 home runs and steal at least bases in a single season. Sosa accomplished the feat twice, 1993 and 1995. On top of entering the exclusive 30/30 club, PCA also became the first player to ever hit 30 home runs, steal 30 bases and have 30 doubles in one season.
PCA is now 7-for-9, with five home runs against Mikolas during his career. That includes two multi-homer games.
Michael Busch added a third home run against Mikolas on Friday, slugging his 32nd bomb of the year in the fifth inning.
The offense kept piling on and in the seventh inning Seiya Suzuki joined PCA and Busch in the 30-home run club this season by hitting a grand slam. Suzuki has been struggling at the plate since the All-Star break, but he's now homered three times in his last two games. Hopefully the bat stays hot with the postseason right around the corner.
This is the first time since 2004 that three players have hit 30 or more runs in a season for the Cubs.
One more Cubs' win or Padres loss will clinch home field. San Diego begins their final regular season series Friday night at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
