The Chicago Cubs secured a thrilling 7-5 victory against their cross-town rivals, the Chicago White Sox, in extra innings on the shoulders of Pete Crow-Armstrong Monday night.
Crow-Armstrong had his NL MVP-defining moment to this point in the season when he capped off a four-hit day with a walk-off two-run homer in front of a rowdy Wrigley Field crowd.
It was his second home run of the night and his 30th of the MLB season, officially making him the first player in Cubs franchise history to record back-to-back seasons with 30-plus homers and 30-plus stolen bases.
PCA REACHES THE 30/30 MARK IN WALK-OFF FASHION. pic.twitter.com/1JvfTLDk02
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 18, 2026
After the game, Crow-Armstrong made it clear that he entered Monday night dialed in on his swing and approach at the plate.
“Today, I was like, ‘Man, it’s pedal to the metal,’” Crow-Armstrong said after the win. “Have some conviction in the swings that you’re taking. Don’t be afraid to swing and miss kind of stuff. Simple as that really.”
Craig Counsell’s Comments on Crow-Armstrong
After the game, Cubs manager Craig Counsell made an honest statement about his superstar player, revealing that he believes this was the best game of Crow-Armstrong’s MLB career.
“This might be his best game in the big leagues right here,” Counsell said. “It was an amazing game. … We’ve had a number of these moments this season from Pete.”
Crow-Armstrong’s 2026 Season
Crow-Armstrong has continued to go toe-to-toe with Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani as one of the leading candidates for the NL MVP.
This would be the 24-year-old’s first MVP award, while Ohtani is looking to win his third straight and fifth of his MLB career.
PCA is hitting .281 with 89 runs, 135 hits, 30 home runs, 78 RBIs and 31 stolen bases while slugging .550 with a .929 OPS.
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