Crow-Armstrong, Suzuki Launch 2 Home Runs in 5 Pitches to Open Crosstown Classic

Q: How did Pete Crow-Armstrong turn a first-pitch homer into a historic Cubs statement game against the White Sox?

Pete Crow-Armstrong turned it into a historic statement by bookending the Cubs’ 7-5, 10-inning win with two defining swings: a leadoff homer on the game’s first pitch and a walk-off two-run homer in the 10th against the White Sox. The opening blast immediately set the tone at Wrigley Field. It was his 29th homer of the season, and Seiya Suzuki followed four pitches later with another home run, giving the Cubs back-to-back shots and more than 800 combined feet of instant offense. Crow-Armstrong did not stop there. He finished 4-for-5 with a walk and a stolen base, missing only a triple from another cycle. What made the game historic was the ending. With the automatic runner on second in the 10th, Crow-Armstrong drove Hagen Smith’s slider 391 feet for the walk-off. He became the first player since 2010 to hit both a leadoff homer and a walk-off homer in the same game, only the seventh in MLB history to do it, and the first Cub ever to pull off that combination. The night also pushed him to 30 home runs and 31 steals, making him the first player in Cubs franchise history with consecutive 30-30 seasons. It was the clearest example yet of why he has become central to Chicago’s season: elite defense and speed now paired with a more disciplined, more dangerous bat. Manager Craig Counsell called it possibly the best game of Crow-Armstrong’s major league career.

3 articles · Updated · Bleacher Nation · Aug 17

Pete Crow-Armstrong put the Cubs ahead on the game's first pitch, immediately setting the tone in the Crosstown Classic.
Four pitches later, Seiya Suzuki followed with another homer, giving the Cubs back-to-back shots to start the game.
The two drives combined for more than 800 feet, turning the opening five pitches into an instant statement for Chicago.