Written with the help of artificial-intelligence tools and checked by automated controls.
This content was machine-translated from the French version.
Monday night, Wrigley Field roared like it was the finest hour of October. The Chicago Cubs came from behind against a Dodgers team that had started with a bang to win 10-5, handing Los Angeles its fourth straight loss. A night where every swing of the bat from the home team seemed to weigh a little heavier on the California sky.
Five pitches, three runs, then silence
Shohei Ohtani and Andy Pages line two singles, and Tommy Edman launches a Matthew Boyd offering over the left-field wall.
The script heats up from the very first seconds. Shohei Ohtani and Andy Pages line two singles, and Tommy Edman launches a Matthew Boyd offering over the left-field wall. Three runs in five pitches. Wrigley freezes, just long enough to absorb that lightning uppercut.
Edman, the former Cardinal, knows this ballpark by heart. He has hit his sixteenth home run in seventy-four career games against the Cubs. A statistic that says everything about his comfort in this stadium, but it wasn't enough to hold the fort.
Alcántara lights the fuse
Chicago's response doesn't take long. In the second inning, Kevin Alcántara sends a two-run homer that gives his team the lead back, 4-3. The 23-year-old Dominican, still finding his footing at the highest level, delivers his most polished performance of the summer: a double, a home run, two RBIs, and that quiet smile that speaks volumes about his current confidence.
On the other side, Justin Wrobleski is reeling. The Dodgers left-hander gives up seven earned runs in four and a half innings, shaken by a defense that commits two avoidable errors. The kind of collective air pocket that turns a cannon start into a shipwreck.
Suzuki and Kelly, a dynamic duo
Seiya Suzuki chooses the fourth inning to drive the point home. His nineteenth home run of the season, a clean two-run blast, makes it 7-3. The Japanese outfielder is in the best stretch of his summer: thirty-six hits since the All-Star break, sixty-three RBIs on the season. A cleanup hitter's production that few saw coming in April.
Right behind him, Carson Kelly adds his fifth home run of the season, also a two-run shot. The catcher, who arrived quietly last winter, enjoys his moment of glory in front of 39,384 captivated fans. Four home runs in total for Chicago. Four sledgehammer blows that turn a poorly started evening into a showcase.
A losing streak that comes at the worst time
Los Angeles hadn't lost four straight games since May. The record remains impressive (69-43), but the cracks are showing at the worst possible moment. The trade deadline may have brought fresh blood, but the machinery is stalling. The bullpen is tired, the defense is fumbling, and the young arms are struggling to go the distance.
For the Cubs (63-49), the wild-card push is taking shape. The NL Central is still dominated by Milwaukee, but Chicago is hanging in there with a roster that mixes seasoned veterans and fearless young players. The kind of chemistry that makes a team dangerous as September approaches.
On Tuesday, the series continues with an enticing pitching matchup. Tarik Skubal, just arrived from Detroit, will make his debut in a Dodgers uniform. On the other side, Javier Assad will try to push the Californians further into doubt. One thing is certain: the wind has turned over Lake Michigan.
