The Chicago Cubs hope the ultimate month of the common season goes higher for Carson Kelly and Pete Crow-Armstrong than the final one.
Kelly is off to an amazing September begin heading into the second recreation of a three-game collection towards the visiting Atlanta Braves on Tuesday, and Crow-Armstrong confirmed he’s prepared to attempt something to finish his hunch.
After the Cubs (79-59) fell behind 6-1 within the collection opener on Monday afternoon, Kelly got here by way of with a game-tying two-run homer within the eighth inning and later delivered a walk-off single within the tenth to elevate Chicago to a 7-6 victory.
Kelly hit .217 in August and hadn’t homered since July 21, a drought of 28 video games.
“Carson’s form of been battling it offensively,” Cubs supervisor Craig Counsell stated after the win. “He is been so necessary for us this 12 months, and he is been such an necessary presence on either side of the ball. I am simply joyful for him. He was due for this. He was due for an enormous one.”
On July 10, Crow-Armstrong turned the fourth-fastest participant in historical past to document no less than 25 house runs and 25 stolen bases in a season, getting there in his 92nd recreation. Nonetheless, since making his first All-Star look 5 days later, he has simply three house runs and 4 stolen bases.
Crow-Armstrong hit .160 in August, dropping his batting common from .272 to .250.
Within the sixth inning on Monday, with Braves third baseman Nacho Alvarez Jr. enjoying effectively off the bag, Crow-Armstrong laid down a profitable bunt single, setting the stage for a two-run double by Dansby Swanson that pulled Chicago inside 6-4.
“Then you definitely’re speaking a few ballgame,” Counsell stated. “That is in all probability what was going by way of (Crow-Armstrong’s) head, too, is simply looking for one thing optimistic that he might do.”
The Cubs plan to begin left-hander Shota Imanaga on Tuesday.
Imanaga (8-6, 3.08 ERA) went 0-2 in 5 begins throughout August, regardless of posting a 2.65 ERA.
He tossed precisely seven innings in every of his previous three outings, most lately permitting three runs and 5 hits in a no-decision towards the San Francisco Giants on Thursday.
Imanaga threw 5 shutout innings in his solely look towards the Braves, a 2-0 loss on Might 13, 2024, through which he didn’t obtain a choice.
Left-hander Joey Wentz will get the nod for the Braves (62-76).
Wentz (5-4, 4.92 ERA) is together with his third main league workforce this season after being claimed off waivers from the Minnesota Twins on July 11. He started the marketing campaign with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Wentz completed 3-2 with a 4.73 ERA throughout 5 begins in August. He most lately allowed one run and 4 hits in 6 2/3 innings en route a 12-1 win towards the Miami Marlins on Wednesday.
The 27-year-old had allowed six runs, 9 hits and two walks in 3 1/3 innings throughout a 12-7 loss to the New York Mets in his earlier begin on Aug. 22.
“I like how he rebounded and was within the strike zone quite a bit,” Braves supervisor Brian Snitker stated after the Wednesday contest. “His stuff was actually good.”
Wentz has made 5 reduction appearances towards the Cubs in his profession, compiling a 14.40 ERA in these video games with no resolution. He had three outings vs. Chicago earlier this 12 months and allowed a complete of 4 runs on 5 hits in three innings.
The Braves made a transfer on Monday with an eye fixed on the 2026 season, claiming infielder Ha-Seong Kim off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays. Kim, who has been on the 10-day injured record since Aug. 21 with decrease again irritation, is predicted to be activated on Tuesday.
The 29-year-old, who performed simply 24 video games (.214 common) for the Rays after signing as a free agent in the course of the offseason, is predicted to bolster the center of the Atlanta infield.
–Subject Stage Media
