Cubs Erupt for Franchise-Record 8 Home Runs!
Chicago's Fourth of July celebrations came early this year as the Cubs exploded for a franchise-record eight home runs in an 11-3 rout of the St. Louis Cardinals. The offensive outburst, fueled by multiple multi-homer performances, left Cardinals pitching reeling and Wrigleyville buzzing.
Miles Mikolas, the Cardinals' starter, bore the brunt of the Cubs' power surge. Seiya Suzuki and Pete Crow-Armstrong got the party started with back-to-back blasts in the first inning. The onslaught continued in the second when Michael Busch and Carson Kelly followed suit with consecutive home runs, pushing the Cubs ahead 4-0.
Crow-Armstrong, a 2025 All-Star, and Busch weren't finished. Each launched their second home runs of the game in the third inning, extending the Cubs' lead to a commanding 7-0. According to MLB's Sarah Langs, the six home runs in the first three innings marked a new Cubs record for the start of a game.
Busch's Big Day, Swanson's Smash
Busch later completed his hat trick with his third home run of the game. Shortly after, Dansby Swanson added his 15th of the season, launching a solo shot off reliever John King. This final blast secured the Cubs' eighth home run of the game, setting a new franchise record and pushing the score to 11-1.
While Mikolas struggled, he remained in the game for six innings, allowing eight earned runs on ten hits. The six home runs he surrendered set a Cardinals franchise record. Mikolas now joins a list of ten other players, including Tim Wakefield, R.A. Dickey, and Sloppy Thurston, holding the MLB record for most home runs allowed in a single game. Mikolas has struggled with the long ball since 2023, allowing 26 in each of the last two seasons. He's given up 15 this year through 87 1/3 innings.
The Cubs' eight home runs fell just two short of the all-time MLB record of ten, set by the 1987 Toronto Blue Jays in an 18-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.