Pete Crow-Armstrong became the first major leaguer this season to hit for the cycle as the Chicago Cubs erased a late deficit and beat the Colorado Rockies 5-4 on Monday night, scoring the go-ahead run in the ninth.
CHICAGO — Pete Crow-Armstrong’s night started with a triple and ended with a full, four-hit statement. He became the first major league player this season to hit for the cycle, but the Cubs didn’t finish the job until the ninth inning, when Colorado finally cracked with the bases loaded.
Chicago trailed 4-3 as the ninth began. Then Pedro Ramírez stepped in and delivered an RBI single off Seth Halvorsen with the bases loaded and nobody out. Matt Shaw followed by walking on five pitches to force home the winning run, sealing a 5-4 victory.
Colorado had threatened much earlier. Cole Carrigg’s three-run homer off Caleb Thielbar in the eighth gave the Rockies a 4-2 lead. Crow-Armstrong answered in the bottom half with a sacrifice fly, pulling Chicago within one.
The cycle wasn’t just a highlight reel—it was historic in its own way. Crow-Armstrong extended his on-base streak to 19 games with his second leadoff home run in three games. a 434-foot shot to center field off Michael Lorenzen. He led off the third with a triple to center, doubled in the fifth, and singled leading off the seventh.
In the middle of all the power, the Cubs kept missing opportunities. Crow-Armstrong finished 4 for 4 with two RBIs, but he scored only once as Chicago went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position until the ninth. He was even picked off first base by Brennan Bernardino after his single.
On the mound, the Cubs protected the late lead. Daniel Palencia (2-1) pitched a scoreless ninth for Chicago. Juan Mejia (1-6) took the loss for the Rockies (27-46).
Chicago starter Shota Imanaga allowed one run over 5 2/3 innings. He was lifted with two on, and reliever Phil Maton walked Carrigg to force home Colorado’s first run.
The Cubs had tied the game 1-all in the sixth. Moises Ballesteros scored from first after Shaw tripled into the right-field corner.
Crow-Armstrong’s cycle also landed him in Cubs lore. He entered with a triple short of a cycle on Saturday, and he joined Hack Wilson (1930) as the only Cubs center fielders to hit for the cycle since 1901. It was the 13th cycle in Cubs history and the second since 1993.
Ramírez entered as a pinch hitter in the eighth.
Up next, the Rockies will send Ryan Feltner (2-2, 5.20 ERA) to the mound Tuesday against Cubs right-hander Edward Cabrera (4-3, 4.86).
Chicago Cubs Colorado Rockies Pete Crow-Armstrong baseball cycle Shota Imanaga Cole Carrigg Ramírez Matt Shaw MLB