Tucker hits 2-run HR, Cubs score 6 in 8th after giving up 10 in top half to beat Diamondbacks 13-11

By Canadian Press on April 18, 2025.

CHICAGO (AP) — Kyle Tucker had the fans on their feet, roaring and pumping their fists as he rounded the bases after hitting the go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning. His screaming line drive cleared the right-field wall with plenty of room to spare.

The Chicago Cubs went from giving up 10 runs in the eighth to scoring six in the bottom half and beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 13-11 on Friday in one of the wildest games on record.

“That’s kind of baseball,” Tucker said. “There’s a lot of ups and downs in this game, especially with how many games we play.”

There haven’t been many games like this, though.

The Cubs are just the seventh team in at least the past 125 seasons to allow 10 or more runs in an inning and win. The others are Cleveland at Kansas City in the first inning on Aug. 23, 2006; Philadelphia against Pittsburgh in the first on June 8, 1989; the New York Yankees against the Philadelphia Athletics in the third on June 3, 1933; the Cubs against Cincinnati in the ninth on Sept. 26, 1912; the New York Giants at Boston Braves in the ninth on June 20, 1912; and the the Philadelphia Athletics against the Yankees in the ninth on May 3, 1912.

Giving up 10 or more runs and scoring six or more in the same inning is an even more rare accomplishment. The only other teams to do that in the past 125 years are Detroit at Texas on May 8, 2004; Cleveland against the Yankees on Aug. 3, 1986; Boston against Cleveland on April 10, 1977; and the Giants at Boston on June 20, 1912.

The 16 combined runs in the eighth were the most in an inning at Wrigley Field, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

On a warm day with the ball carrying, Carson Kelly homered twice. Ian Happ belted a grand slam and Seiya Suzuki went deep, helping the Cubs open a weekend series on a winning note.

“You’ve seen it early — having some tough losses, coming back winning the next day,” Happ said. “Losing the first game of the series, winning the series. Little things like that. Today’s a great example of professional hitters going out there and continuing to have really good at-bats.”

The way things transpired in the final two innings was something to see.

Kelly hit a two-run homer in the second against Corbin Burnes, and Happ came through with his grand slam against Ryne Nelson as part of a five-run seventh. But just when it looked as if the Cubs were in control with a 7-1 lead, things took a wild turn in the eighth.

Eugenio Suárez cut it to 7-5 with a grand slam against Porter Hodge, Geraldo Perdomo singled in a run, and Randal Grichuk put Arizona on top by one with a two-run double. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a three-run homer, making it 11-7.

The crowd of more than 39,000 let the Cubs hear it, but their team regrouped in the bottom half. Bryce Jarvis hit Nico Hoerner leading off and walked Pete Crow-Armstrong before Kelly drove a three-run homer to center. Tucker, the Cubs’ prized offseason addition, came through after Happ singled with one out. Suzuki followed with his drive against Joe Mantiply to give the Cubs a 13-11 lead.

“You just got to stay locked in,” Kelly said. “Obviously, you don’t want to … give up 10 in an inning. Obviously, you don’t want to do that. I think the biggest thing is coming back, regrouping and continuing to fight.”

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Andrew Seligman, The Associated Press

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