On July 27, 2024, the Chicago Cubs faced off against the Kansas City Royals in an exciting game at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The Cubs managed to rally past the Royals with a dramatic pinch-hit grand slam by Patrick Wisdom, ultimately winning the game 9-4 and evening the three-game series.
Wisdom’s heroics came in the seventh inning when the Cubs were trailing 4-3. He smashed a 430-foot home run to left-center field off reliever Sam Long’s fastball, giving Chicago the lead and momentum they needed to secure the victory. This was Wisdom’s fifth homer of the season and Chicago’s fourth grand slam of the year. It was also the first pinch-hit grand slam for the Cubs since David Bote accomplished the feat in 2018.
The Cubs loaded the bases with no outs against Royals pitcher Seth Lugo, who struggled on the mound, allowing six runs on five hits and two walks in 6 1/3 innings. Chicago had initially taken a 3-1 lead on Seiya Suzuki’s two-run homer in the first inning and an RBI grounder by Nico Hoerner in the third.
However, the Royals fought back in the sixth inning, scoring three runs on five hits against Cubs starter Shota Imanaga and reliever Julian Merryweather. Bobby Witt Jr. and Hunter Renfroe were instrumental in Kansas City’s rally, with Renfroe hitting a two-run single to give the Royals a brief 4-3 lead.
Imanaga pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits, while Merryweather earned the win after retiring three of six batters faced. Porter Hodge and the Cubs bullpen shut down the Royals in the final innings to secure the victory.
Offensively, Suzuki and Mike Tauchman stood out for the Cubs, each contributing two hits in the game. The Cubs snapped a three-game losing streak with their highest offensive output since early July.
On the other side, Renfroe’s 10th home run and three hits were bright spots for the Royals, who have now lost three of their last four games after a brief winning streak.
In the end, the Chicago Cubs’ resilience and timely hitting propelled them to a much-needed victory over the Kansas City Royals, setting the stage for an exciting rubber match in the series.
