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Holy mackerel! The Cubs held on to beat the Friars 9-7 on Tuesday at Wrigley behind five home runs – two from Dansby Swanson and one apiece from Alex Bregman, Michael Busch, & Pete Crow-Armstrong – and Ryan Rolison's first career save!

The North Siders are again the hottest team in the NL, having won four straight, eight of nine, and 14 of their last 18.

 

Along the way, Pete Crow-Armstrong had a spectacular June, finishing the month with a 1.249 OPS. By comparison, 1998 NL MVP Sammy Sosa's red-hot June, 1998, with its incredible 20 home runs, notched a 1.173 OPS.

PCA's month wasn't just good by Cubs standards. He's in some pretty impressive company MLB-wide:  only Babe Ruth (three times) and Lou Gehrig (one time) have tallied a month with these stats: 

• .375 or higher batting average
• .775 or higher slugging percentage
• 80 or more total bases
• 15 or more walks
• 10 or more home runs
• 5 or more stolen bases

The Men in Blue look to complete the series sweep Wednesday at Wrigley before the Cardinals come to town for a three-game weekend set to close out the homestand.

 

It's been a year of ups and downs, but considering the season-long plethora of pitching injuries – they currently have 13 pitchers on the Injured List – it is impressive that they sit ten games above .500 and atop the NL Wild Card standings.

 

86 games down, 76 to go.

 

Go Cubs go!

 

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs