{"id":817419,"date":"2026-08-18T07:36:08","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T07:36:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/817419\/"},"modified":"2026-08-18T07:36:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T07:36:08","slug":"pete-crow-armstrongs-two-homers-fuel-chicago-cubs-victory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/817419\/","title":{"rendered":"Pete Crow-Armstrong’s two homers fuel Chicago Cubs’ victory"},"content":{"rendered":"

CHICAGO — The milestones keep piling up for Chicago Cubs<\/a> center fielder and National League MVP candidate Pete Crow-Armstrong<\/a> after he hit two home runs — a leadoff blast and a walk-off shot — against the Chicago White Sox<\/a> on Monday night in a wild 7-5, 10-inning victory<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Crow-Armstrong, 24, is the first player since 2010 to hit a leadoff homer and a walk-off blast in the same game. It’s also the first time in franchise history that a Cubs player has accomplished the feat. And it vaulted him into the 30\/30 club for the second consecutive season.<\/p>\n

“Today, I was like, ‘Man, it’s pedal to the metal,'” Crow-Armstrong said after the win. “Have some conviction in the swings that you’re taking. Don’t be afraid to swing and miss kind of stuff. Simple as that really.”<\/p>\n

Crow-Armstrong didn’t like his performance over the weekend during a series loss to the St. Louis Cardinals<\/a>, so he took to the field early Monday alongside hitting coach John Mallee. Tee work and some flips in the cage did the trick.<\/p>\n

“The flips were just to see some ball flight, get out of the cage and just see ball fly,” Crow-Armstrong said.<\/p>\n

It flew a few hours later, as well.<\/p>\n

Crow-Armstrong hit the first pitch he saw from White Sox starter Luis Castillo<\/a> out of the park. He followed that with a single, double and walk before bringing over 40,000 fans to their feet with a two-run homer in the 10th off reliever Hagen Smith<\/a> to end the back-and-forth affair.<\/p>\n

“He gets fooled by a slider, but the bat stays through the zone and it’s 380 feet,” manager Craig Counsell said of the winner.<\/p>\n

White Sox manager Will Venable was asked if he thought about walking Crow-Armstrong, considering first base was open with the automatic runner on second.<\/p>\n

“No, that’s not an option there,” he said. “With Seiya [Suzuki]<\/a> behind him, you know, that puts us in a tough spot, and [a walk] is not a thought. You think about all the options, but that’s not one we’re going to make there.”<\/p>\n

Crow-Armstrong became the first player in franchise history with back-to-back seasons of at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases and the first with multiple 30-homer seasons under the age of 25.<\/p>\n

“This might be his best game in the big leagues right here,” Counsell said. “It was an amazing game. … We’ve had a number of these moments this season from Pete.”<\/p>\n

Those moments have thrust him into the NL MVP race with Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani<\/a>, who also homered twice Monday. Crow-Armstrong was asked if he’s having fun with all the MVP talk.<\/p>\n

“When you play a game like we did tonight, that’s all the fun that I need in my life ever,” he said. “So yeah, it’s been really fun watching Jacob Webb<\/a> pitch. I have much more fun doing that than paying attention to any of that stuff.”<\/p>\n

Webb got out of a jam in the top of the 10th to earn the win, which included five lead changes. Meanwhile, Crow-Armstrong’s heroics helped raise his OPS to .929, which trails only Ohtani’s .948 for tops in the National League.<\/p>\n

“I don’t think I’ve ever met a player like that,” Cubs starter Shota Imanaga<\/a> said through the team interpreter. “Expectations you might have for him, he always surpasses them.”br\/]<\/p>\n

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