Blue Jays vs Cubs Recap: Drama as Toronto Rallies to 8-6

The Blue Jays came to Wrigley Field ready for a fight after getting crushed 16-2 the night before. Toronto was hungry to bounce back and prove they belonged in this series. But Chicago had other plans. In the second inning, Matt Shaw stepped up to the plate against Patrick Corbin. The Cubs slugger waited for his pitch—a 91 miles-per-hour four-seam fastball—and absolutely crushed it. The ball rocketed over the left field wall and sailed 390 feet. Shaw's two-run homer brought Alex Bregman and Ian Happ home with him. Just like that, the Cubs were up 3-0 and the crowd at Wrigley went wild. Toronto's pitching staff couldn't stop the early onslaught.

Toronto wasn't going down without a fight. In the sixth inning, Chicago's reliever Lazaro Estrada faced Pete Crow-Armstrong. The Cubs center fielder got hold of an 82 miles-per-hour splitter and sent it flying to right field. The ball cleared the wall 400 feet away! Crow-Armstrong brought Dansby Swanson around to score. Suddenly it was 3-5, and Toronto could smell a comeback. Then came the seventh inning. Daulton Varsho stepped in against Trent Thornton and connected on a 93 miles-per-hour fastball. Varsho's blast to right traveled 368 feet and cleared the wall easily. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Kazuma Okamoto both scored on that blast. The Blue Jays were knocking hard on the door.

The eighth inning was pure chaos for Chicago. Everything went wrong all at once. Alejandro Kirk singled to left, and Myles Straw raced home. Then Vladimir Guerrero Jr. lined a single to center and Springer scored to tie it 5-5. But wait—there was more coming. Kazuma Okamoto crushed a three-run missile over the left-center wall 377 feet away. Okamoto's blast brought home Guerrero Jr. and another run. Just like that, Toronto led 8-5! Chicago tried to answer in their eighth when Nico Hoerner grounded into a fielder's choice that scored Miguel Amaya, making it 8-6. But that was all the Cubs could muster. Toronto's bullpen shut the door tight. The Blue Jays won 8-6 and improved to 39-39.