MLB Final Intelligence
Cincinnati Reds vs Chicago Cubs โ Recap
May 5, 2026 ยท Wrigley Field ยท View Preview
Game Recap
The Chicago Cubs rallied late to overcome a two-run deficit, securing a walk-off victory against the Cincinnati Reds in extra innings. Michael Busch provided the decisive hit in the tenth, capping off a comeback that saw the Cubs score three unanswered runs after being held scoreless for six innings.
Cincinnati initially seized the lead in the first inning when Bleday launched a solo home run to right center field. Lowe extended the Reds' advantage in the sixth, connecting for another solo shot. For much of the game, Reds starter Andrew Abbott held the Cubs' offense in check, completing 5.2 scoreless innings. Chicago began to chip away in the seventh when Bregman singled to left, driving in Crow-Armstrong to cut the deficit to one.
The momentum truly shifted in the eighth inning when Michael Busch hammered a 427-foot solo home run to right center, tying the game at two runs apiece. This big blast negated the earlier efforts by Cincinnati's offense and Abbott's strong pitching performance, setting the stage for extra innings. The Reds' bats, after scoring in the first and sixth, were silent for the remainder of the game, unable to answer the Cubs' late surge.
Ultimately, the Cubs prevailed on the strength of their late-inning rally, driven predominantly by Busch's clutch hitting. His three-hit performance, which included a home run and two RBI, proved pivotal in erasing the Reds' early lead and delivering the win. Following this result, the Chicago Cubs improved their record to 73-53, while the Cincinnati Reds fell to 59-66.
Player of the Game
Pitching
| Pitcher | Team | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jameson Taillon |
|
5.2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4.24 |
| Andrew Abbott |
|
5.2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 5.13 |
| Javier Assad |
|
1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7.08 |
| Connor Phillips |
|
1.1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3.32 |
| Daniel Palencia |
|
1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Jacob Webb |
|
1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3.95 |
| Ryan Rolison W |
|
1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3.12 |
| Jose Franco |
|
1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4.97 |
| Tony Santillan |
|
1.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2.87 |
Batting
| Batter | Team | AB | H | HR | RBI | R | BB | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Busch |
|
4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Nathaniel Lowe |
|
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| JJ Bleday |
|
4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Alex Bregman |
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Dansby Swanson |
|
5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Matt Shaw |
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nico Hoerner |
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Pete Crow-Armstrong |
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Sal Stewart |
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Spencer Steer |
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tyler Stephenson |
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
More MLB Results โ Tuesday, May 5, 2026
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