Enhanced Box Score: Cardinals 7, Cubs 6 – May 25, 2024 – Bleacher Nation

After blowing the lead in the 8th, the Cubs tried to put together their own comeback in the 9th, but that Christopher Morel bouncer just didn’t find the right spot. Worst fake rally ever.

The Cubs were in that spot, of course, because of a disastrous 8th inning that saw the Cardinals plate four runs, nominally on Mark Leiter Jr., but it could’ve gone so differently. A better throw from Seiya Suzuki? A better tag from Miguel Amaya? Everything could be different tonight.

A big part of me is, right now, just bitter that the Cubs FINALLY scored more than a few runs and still managed to lose. The pitching wasn’t terrible when you look at each guy’s performance, though the four runs attached to Leiter’s name looks brutal. Even for him, none of the four singles he gave up was hit particularly hard.

Bonus awfulness: that fly out in the 9th from Seiya Suzuki that would’ve given the Cubs the lead? It would’ve been a homer at Wrigley.

Luke Little – the Ankin Law “Making it Personal” Player of the game – had another really good outing in relief, and I appreciate that he has been stacking them up. His upside is as high as anyone the Cubs have available in the relief corps (healthy or not), so if he really starts clicking, that is going to pay dividends throughout the rest of the season. 

Cold comfort, though.

Full box score.