Since 2010, no one had hit both a leadoff and walk-off home run in one game until Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong achieved this feat. This historic night happened on Monday against the White Sox in a 7-5, 10-inning win. The 24-year-old also joined the 30/30 club for the second year in a row. No one has done this for the Cubs before in franchise history.
A Rare Night at Wrigley
The game started with Crow-Armstrong blasting the first pitch from White Sox starter Luis Castillo. He followed that up with a single, a double, and a walk. Then he ended the back-and-forth battle with a two-run homer in the 10th inning off reliever Hagen Smith. Per ESPN, this was the first time a Cubs player has ever hit a leadoff and walk-off blast in one game. The milestone vaulted him into the 30/30 club, meaning he has 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases.
Crow-Armstrong did not feel good about his performance during a loss to the Cardinals earlier that week. He took extra work with hitting coach John Mallee on Monday morning. He used tee work and flips in the cage to fix his swing. “The flips were just to see some ball flight, get out of the cage and just see ball fly,” Crow-Armstrong said. That extra effort paid off when the ball left the park just a few hours later.
Conviction in Every Swing
The player showed he was ready to attack the ball from the very first pitch. He did not worry about striking out or making a mistake. He wanted to hit the ball hard. “Today, I was like, ‘Man, it’s pedal to the metal,'” Crow-Armstrong said after the win. He told his teammates to trust their swings. Trust the swings you are making with conviction. Don’t be afraid to swing and miss kind of stuff. Simple as that really.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell watched the final home run closely. He noted how the batter stayed in the zone even when the pitch was tricky. “He gets fooled by a slider, but the bat stays through the zone and it’s 380 feet,” Counsell said. The distance mattered, but the timing was what made the play special. The win came after five lead changes in a game that kept fans on their feet.
Why the White Sox Could Not Walk Him
With the bases loaded in the 10th, the White Sox had a choice. They could have walked Crow-Armstrong to face the next batter. They chose to let him hit. White Sox manager Will Venable explained the decision clearly. “No, that’s not an option there,” he said. He pointed out that Seiya Suzuki was due up next. “With Seiya [Suzuki] 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.”
This decision shows the pressure of the moment. Walking a dangerous hitter to face an even worse one is a gamble. Venable decided to face the threat head-on. It was a bold move that failed. The crowd of over 40,000 fans celebrated the result. The game ended with a win for Chicago and a historic night for their young star.
MVP Talk and the Real Fun
These big moments have pushed Crow-Armstrong into the National League MVP race. He is now in the conversation with Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, who also hit two home runs on Monday. The 24-year-old is the first player in Cubs history to hit 30 homers and steal 30 bases in back-to-back seasons. He is also the first to hit multiple 30-homer seasons while under the age of 25. Counsell called it his best game in the big leagues so far.
When asked about the MVP talk, Crow-Armstrong kept his focus on the game itself. He said he had more fun watching pitcher Jacob Webb in the 10th than listening to the headlines. “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 pitch. I have much more fun doing that than paying attention to any of that stuff.” Webb got out of a jam in the top of the 10th to earn the win.
