The Chicago Cubs faced a disappointing 5-3 defeat against the Oakland Athletics, pushing them closer to playoff elimination with just ten games remaining in the season. Despite leading 3-1 after a strong fifth inning, the Cubs allowed the A's to rally back with a two-run eighth, highlighted by Zack Gelof's go-ahead double. Earlier in the series, Shea Langeliers had shone for Oakland, hitting two home runs in a 4-3 victory on Tuesday, as the A's capitalized on their significant home run output this season, scoring over 50% of their runs via homers. The Cubs' recent losses have left them six games behind the final NL wild-card spot. With Justin Steele returning to the rotation after injury and the Cubs' overall interleague performance being better than their season record, they are in dire need of a turnaround against the struggling Washington Nationals. The Brewers clinched the NL Central title with the Cubs' loss, further complicating Chicago's playoff aspirations.