Crow-Armstrong hits two more homers, but Cubs fall to Reds 7-5

The Cubs took an early jolt from Pete Crow-Armstrong, but Cincinnati’s offense and a late-game edge ended up carrying the night. In a 7-5 Reds win at Wrigley Field, Crow-Armstrong extended his recent stretch with two home runs, including a leadoff shot off Reds starter Chase Burns, a swing that set the tone for Chicago’s power-first approach.

Crow-Armstrong had already made headlines the day before with a performance that produced three homers, the first three-homer game of his career. Sunday’s follow-up continued that storyline, showing the same ability to leave the yard quickly and put his team in a favorable spot. Against Burns, the center fielder delivered yet another leadoff blast, giving the Cubs an immediate run and an early reminder that he can change the tempo of an at-bat with one pitch.

The Cubs’ offense, however, had to rely on more than just big moments from the top of the order. Crow-Armstrong’s second homer arrived later, when he added a home run off Emilio Pagán in the ninth inning. That late shot was a momentum play, one that made the finish feel reachable and underscored Chicago’s capacity to punish mistakes late in games.

Still, Cincinnati put together enough scoring to keep the margin just out of reach. The Reds scored in ways that complemented their pitching plan, and when the Cubs tried to close the gap, the final sequences did not fall completely in Chicago’s favor. A 7-5 outcome means the Cubs were competitive, but it also means they could not sustain the kind of run production needed once Cincinnati regained control of the game’s leverage points.

For the Reds, the game’s shape highlighted the importance of controlling innings after early pressure. Burns started the night by giving up a leadoff homer, but Cincinnati’s bullpen response and overall run pacing held up long enough for Chicago’s best late swing, Crow-Armstrong’s ninth-inning blast, to still come in a loss.

Crow-Armstrong’s two-homer night adds another chapter to a summer defined by sudden impact. It is also a reminder that the leadoff role, when it comes with game-changing power, can force opponents to account for the long ball from the first pitch. The Cubs can take comfort in the fact that their offense has a high-impact bat capable of producing runs even when the rest of the lineup is still looking for its rhythm.

What to watch next is whether Chicago can translate these individual surges into a more consistent scoring profile across multiple innings, and whether Cincinnati’s approach to breaking the game early and protecting late leads can be repeated when Crow-Armstrong and the Cubs are fully set up to swing for extra bases again.