Pete Crow-Armstrong fuels Cubs’ win in front of fellow sports stars: ‘Chicago’s got a lot to look forward to’

Every game he plays at Wrigley Field, Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong has a cheering section nearly 40,000 strong.

But a few members of the crowd stood out Thursday, adding some juice not only to the stadium-wide party but to Crow-Armstrong, specifically.

Crow-Armstrong did his thing, hitting a home run in the third inning to drive in the Cubs’ runs in a 2-1 victory that earned them a series split with the Brewers.

He did it in front of Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and Bulls forwards Matas Buzelis and Caleb Wilson, the current generation of Chicago sports stars gathering in the thick of the Cubs’ pennant race.

‘‘Those are good people; those are my people,’’ Crow-Armstrong said. ‘‘Those are great representatives of Chicago.

‘‘It was awesome having them here. I felt the energy from the crowd when they got put on the board. Chicago’s got a lot to look forward to with those three.’’

Crow-Armstrong didn’t include himself in what Chicago has to look forward to, though he certainly belongs at the forefront of that conversation, putting up a ridiculous season that has him favored to win the National League MVP.
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His home run was his 39th, putting him one away from becoming the 10th Cubs player to smack 40 in a season.

All that individual stuff isn’t Crow-Armstrong’s thing, however.

Earlier in the day, he was named the NL player of the month after an outrageously productive August. Asked what it meant to earn that honor for the second time this season, Crow-Armstrong was blunt.

‘‘Nothing,’’ he said.

His focus on the team has been consistent all season, and delivering a victory Thursday certainly meant a lot more than nothing. Doing it in front of his fellow Chicago sports icons-in-the-making meant something, too.

‘‘It’s huge having guys show up and support each other,’’ Crow-Armstrong said. ‘‘Just the friendship alone is great, and I’m lucky to have that. But to be able to show the city that we’re all pulling for each other and we all believe in each other is huge.’’

As Crow-Armstrong mentioned, Williams and the two Bulls were shown on the videoboard. The camera then panned to Crow-Armstrong, who pointed at them from the dugout.

The crowd went wild and started what has been a frequent outburst this summer at Wrigley — predictably, after Williams’ playoff heroics — chanting, ‘‘Green Bay sucks!’’

Asked after the game if that was truly the case, Crow-Armstrong chuckled and said: ‘‘Historically? No. You’ll have to ask the masses on that one. They’d have a different answer, I think.’’

Gausman’s gem

Right-hander Kevin Gausman was excellent again Thursday, allowing one run and five hits in seven innings.

Though he has alternated between terrific outings and less impressive ones, Gausman mostly has been what the Cubs thought he would be when they brought him in on a deadline deal to pitch at the top of their rotation.

‘‘That’s all you want from someone you pick up at the deadline,’’ Crow-Armstrong said. “ ‘Gaus’ was absolutely dominant.’’

Bullpen better

In the middle of a bout of bullpen blues, relievers Ryan Zeferjahn and Ryan Rolison were perfect in the eighth and ninth innings, preserving a one-run lead.

‘‘We need some good outings from our bullpen,’’ manager Craig Counsell said. ‘‘They were both excellent today. Obviously, you come into a one-run game in the eighth inning, you come into a one-run game in the ninth inning, those are tough innings.’’