Cubs Crush Cardinals 12-1, Near Top NL Wild Card Spot

The Chicago Cubs delivered a dominant 12-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field, highlighted by a powerful offensive surge, including a seven-run seventh inning capped by Seiya Suzuki's grand slam. Pete Crow-Armstrong achieved a historic milestone, becoming the first Cubs player to record 30 homers, 30 doubles, and 30 stolen bases in a single season, joining Sammy Sosa as the only Cubs to hit 30 homers and steal 30 bases. Michael Busch contributed with his team-leading 32nd homer and two RBIs, while Nico Hoerner and Suzuki also added home runs, marking three Cubs with 30 homers this season. Colin Rea pitched an outstanding 5 2/3 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts, supported by a strong bullpen that allowed just five hits overall. Kyle Tucker returned from injury and contributed with a single and a walk, bolstering the lineup as the Cubs near clinching the top National League wild card spot with their magic number down to one. The win marks the Cubs' 90th of the season, underscoring their strong playoff prospects and offensive resurgence at a critical time.