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This content was machine-translated from the French version.
Two home runs, four RBIs and a no-doubt sweep: Pete Crow-Armstrong delivered a standout performance Wednesday night at Wrigley Field. The Chicago Cubs dominated the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-6, handing the Californians their second consecutive sweep after the one suffered against San Diego. Shohei Ohtani, though brilliant at the plate with three hits, could not prevent the collapse. The 41,000 fans at Wrigley Field were not mistaken: this team has changed dimensions.
A young Cub in a state of grace
At 24 years old, Pete Crow-Armstrong is establishing himself as the face of the Cubs' resurgence.
At 24 years old, Pete Crow-Armstrong is establishing himself as the face of the Cubs' resurgence. As the designated hitter, the young player developed in the Mets organization first opened the scoring with a clean solo shot in the fourth inning, before delivering the knockout blow in the sixth with a three-run home run that sent the stands at Wrigley Field into a frenzy. A laser-like hit into the right-field bleachers that gave Chicago a definitive 7-4 lead and confirmed the acumen of Craig Counsell, who has placed him at the top of the lineup since mid-June.
Nico Hoerner also shone with three hits, confirming the depth of an offense that frightens the entire National League. Since June 11, the Cubs have posted a stratospheric record of 32 wins and 15 losses, a pace of 110 wins over a full season. Enough to turn a wild-card spot into a direct threat to the top of the Central Division. Before this series against the Dodgers, Chicago was on an equally impressive run on the road, proof that the transformation owes nothing to magical nights at Wrigley Field alone.
The Dodgers' defense takes on water
Los Angeles suffers its sixth loss in seven games. The overall record — 69 wins, 43 losses — masks a slide that the numbers of the last two weeks struggle to put into perspective. The bullpen, reinforced at the trade deadline, gave up four runs in three relief innings on Wednesday. Two defensive errors in key moments handed the Cubs opportunities that were immediately converted into runs. The kind of gift a confident team never refuses.
Shohei Ohtani had three hits and stole a base, continuing his MVP campaign despite the team's struggles. But the Japanese superstar cannot plug all the holes alone. Mookie Betts, back from a three-week absence, is still searching for his timing at the plate and looks hesitant in the outfield. Freddie Freeman has been hot and cold since the All-Star break, and Dave Roberts' bench lacks answers in tight late-game situations. The Dodgers are going through their worst stretch since the start of the season, and doubt is beginning to creep into a roster built for the World Series.
Four games to change everything
The schedule offers the Cubs a home series against Milwaukee, their direct rival in the Central Division. A razor-thin margin separates the two teams: four games that could swing Chicago from the status of chaser to that of leader. A scenario unimaginable in June, when the team was languishing below the .500 mark, has become credible after seven weeks of dazzling baseball.
For the Dodgers, the return to Los Angeles against the Giants looks like a breath of fresh air. But no schedule heals a team that doubts, and the approach of September will quickly tell whether this double blow suffered in Chicago and San Diego was just a summer blip, or a symptom of a fragility that could weigh heavily in the postseason.
