CHICAGO — Michael Conforto couldn’t wipe the massive grin off his face as he rounded third and charged home, where his Cubs teammates exploded out of the dugout in a wild swarm to mob the veteran in pure bedlam. This was no ordinary homer – Conforto, who couldn’t even recall his last walk-off blast (maybe back in Little League?), soaked up every single triumphant step like a dream come true.
The opposite-field rocket Conforto launched into the roaring sea of delirious fans in the bleachers delivered a heart-stopping 5-4 walk-off victory over the Reds at historic Wrigley Field. It capped an insane ninth-inning comeback against closer Emilio Pagán, pushing the North Siders to their sixth straight win overall and a staggering 12th consecutive victory at the Friendly Confines.
And get this – it was Conforto’s very first homer in a Cubs uniform. Talk about making an entrance!
“It’s really, really cool,” Conforto said, still buzzing. “With this insane home winning streak, the way this team is scrapping and fighting for every win… yeah, getting the chance to deliver like that? Awesome doesn’t even cover it.”
This Wrigley streak is the longest for the club since a 14-game tear back in 2008. The all-time mark at the ballpark since it opened at Clark and Addison sits at 18 games from September 1935, while the franchise record is a mind-blowing 21-game run way back in 1880.
To keep the magic alive at a dozen straight, manager Craig Counsell called on a guy who hadn’t even stepped on the field this month. Conforto, the 33-year-old veteran backup outfielder in a spotty role, hadn’t played since Wednesday in San Diego and last pinch-hit on April 25. Just 39 plate appearances all season – but when it mattered most, he was ready.
Counsell raved about how the 11-year MLB vet has owned his limited role. Conforto’s slashing .323 with a scorching .984 OPS in sparse action, fueling a reserve crew that’s posted a ridiculous 1.068 OPS in pinch-hit spots.
“What Michael did is so tough,” Counsell said. “No at-bats all weekend, four days off, bases empty – but he’s got that clutch ability. He got a pitch to drive and absolutely crushed it.”
The Reds had snatched a 4-3 lead in the eighth on a razor-close play at the plate, wiping out Seiya Suzuki’s massive 455-foot game-tying bomb from the fourth. Then they turned it over to their closer for the ninth.
But Pagán couldn’t slam the door. He got Pete Crow-Armstrong to 0-2, yet the speedy center fielder battled and drilled a splitter that flew deep.
Crow-Armstrong launched it to deep center where Dane Myers made a leaping grab attempt – only to crash into the ivy as the ball dropped. PCA took off like lightning for a triple that had Wrigley shaking.
“The way that ball was hit with the wind blowing out, it was either caught or gone,” Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner said. “I thought he caught it – total deflation. Then the ball hits the ground and it’s an automatic triple with Pete flying. I knew we had life.”
Two batters later, Hoerner ripped a pitch to left where JJ Bleday fired home at 98.5 mph – but Crow-Armstrong tagged and slid in safely to tie it at 4-4.
“That’s exactly who you want up there,” Crow-Armstrong beamed about Hoerner.
Conforto had been warming up in the cage since the eighth. After Matt Shaw pinch-hit earlier, the spot came up and Counsell made the gutsy last-second call for Conforto over Shaw.
“You convince yourself you’re the guy,” Conforto said. “But it’s Counsell’s call. He switched late and it paid off.”
Conforto battled to a full count, then destroyed a 94.1 mph elevated fastball that stayed just enough in the zone. He knew it was gone the second he connected.
“The flags were friendly,” he grinned. “That’s the swing I’ve been chasing for years.”
Even Crow-Armstrong was stunned: “It’s super freaking cool when a guy can just end the game like that after staying locked in for every possible pinch-hit chance. Pretty epic Monday night.”
Michael Conforto’s walk-off homer caps Cubs’ rally to beat Reds – Chicago Sun-Times
Don’t miss the next chapter – get your tickets now as the Cubs battle the Reds Monday through Thursday at Wrigley! The streak fever is real.