Chicago’s Pete Crow-Armstrong hit for the cycle Monday night and the host Cubs overcame a late two-run deficit to earn a 5-4 walk-off win over the Colorado Rockies in the opener of a three-game series.
Matt Shaw’s bases-loaded walk gave Chicago the victory after Pedro Ramirez leveled the score one batter earlier.
Crow-Armstrong completed his cycle in reverse, hitting a leadoff homer in the first, tripling in the third, doubling in the fifth and singling in the seventh.
His cycle was the first in the majors this season as well as the 13th in Cubs history and the first at Wrigley Field since Mark Grace achieved the feat in a 5-4 loss to the San Diego Padres on May 9, 1993.
Crow-Armstrong’s cycle looked as if it might go for naught when Cole Carrigg hit a three-run homer to put the Rockies ahead 4-2 in the eighth. But Crow-Armstrong lined a sacrifice fly to right in the bottom of the inning to begin the comeback for the Cubs, who won without recording an out in the ninth.
Juan Mejia (1-6) walked leadoff batter Seiya Suzuki and then overthrew second base while trying to force Suzuki on Ian Happ’s comebacker as Suzuki went to third. Mejia then walked Nico Hoerner before Seth Halvorsen entered and gave up the game-tying RBI single to Ramirez.
Shaw then worked a bases-loaded, five-pitch walk to end the game. It was the ninth walk of the night issued by Rockies pitchers.
Daniel Palencia (2-1) threw a one-hit ninth for the Cubs, who have won four of five. Ramirez, Shaw and teammate Alex Bregman all had two hits.
Carrigg knotted the score at 1-1 by drawing a bases-loaded walk in the sixth for the Rockies, who have lost four of five. Willi Castro and Hunter Goodman had two hits each.
Cubs starter Shota Imanaga allowed one run on five hits and one walk while striking out three over 5 2/3 innings. Rockies starter Michael Lorenzen lasted five innings, giving up one run on five hits and one walk while fanning five.
