The Cubs were certainly on theme Friday.
The North Siders treated fans to a fireworks display to celebrate the Fourth of July, smacking eight home runs in an 11-3 pummeling of the Cardinals at Wrigley Field.
The octet of long balls broke the franchise record for the most in a game. And remember, this is a franchise that has been around since 1876.
First baseman Michael Busch hit three homers and drove in five runs in the rout.
“Michael’s shots were absolutely majestic today,” center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong said. “That was the fan in me being like, ‘Aw, that’s why I’m here.’ ’’
Crow-Armstrong, serenaded with -“M-V-P” chants throughout the afternoon, hit two home runs as part of a four-hit, four-run day.
In addition, designated hitter Seiya Suzuki went deep in the first, catcher Carson Kelly homered in the second and shortstop Dansby Swanson hit a two-run blast in the seventh.
It served as a helpful reminder that the Cubs’ starting-pitching problems haven’t been able to drag the team down too much, thanks to an offense capable of such feats.
Though right-hander Jameson Taillon’s trip to the injured list became the latest hurdle for the rotation to get over — and intensified the need for Jed Hoyer to land starting pitching at the trade deadline — the Cubs boast one of the majors’ highest-scoring (475 runs) and power-packed (133 home runs) lineups.
So if they keep hitting like this, how much will the starting-pitching issues even matter?
“When guys are on a roll, it’s fun to be a part of,” Busch said. “Hitting, in my opinion, is a little contagious. Guys are just having good at-bats up and down the lineup. It’s fun to be a part of. There are no selfish at-bats. And when that’s the case, everybody performs individually.”
PCA’s defense wows
As if a two-homer, four-hit, four-run day wasn’t enough, Crow-Armstrong made a highlight-reel diving catch in center field in the first inning that earned almost as much praise after the game as the Cubs’ bevy of long balls.
pete’s a starter for a reason. pic.twitter.com/7GcdlrZdnP
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 4, 2025
“Those two swings felt really good, but I’m out there to go play defense and go work for my pitchers,” Crow-Armstrong said. “So if we’re talking [positive] feelings after, that’s what I’ll take, 10 times out of 10.”
Even on a day defined by the bat, Crow-Armstrong managed to show off so much more. In addition to the sensational play in the outfield, he used his speed to go first to third on a routine grounder, setting up the only Cubs run that didn’t come via the home run.
His offensive numbers are off-the-charts good. But it’s the full skill set that has electrified Wrigleyville.
“The defense is still [what] fires the dugout up the most,” manager Craig Counsell said. “Those are the plays you want to be there to see. . . . I hate to say you want balls hit in the gap, but as a fan, you want to see it. You want to see him run down a ball.
“The ball goes up, and you’re like, ‘He’s got a shot.’ For a pitcher and for all of us, that’s a great feeling.”
Rea of light
On a day when Taillon’s injury dragged the Cubs’ pitching woes back into the spotlight, righty Colin Rea held the Cardinals to next to nothing in arguably his finest start of the season.
Rea only allowed one hit, a solo homer, in 6⅔ innings. It matched his longest outing of the season and was his third start in which he allowed one run or fewer.