The Chicago Cubs plated 11 consecutive unanswered runs on Wednesday as part of a 14-10 comeback win against the Pittsburgh Pirates (box score) that saw them overcome a 10-3 deficit through the first six innings. Notably, the Cubs became the first team since the 2019 San Diego Padres to rally from a seven-plus-run deficit in the seventh inning or later.
Major League Baseball clubs had previously posted an 0-353 record this season after facing that situation, according to Max Gorenstein of CBS Sports’ research desk.
The Cubs can credit journeyman backstop Christian Bethancourt for a large part of their offensive outburst. He went 3 for 5 on the day, falling a triple short of the cycle while driving in seven runs. Bethancourt, who only joined the organization on July 5, became the sixth Cubs catcher since 1901 to plate that many runs in a single game, joining (among others) Willson Contreras and Geovany Soto, according to Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune.
The Cubs did almost all of their damage once Pirates starter Paul Skenes was removed to begin the sixth inning. (You can read more about Skenes’ start, his third against the Cubs in his brief big-league career, by clicking here.) Veteran relievers Aroldis Chapman and David Bednar combined to surrender eight earned runs on six hits and five walks. Chapman and Bednar, meanwhile, tallied just five total outs.
Chicago’s victory on Wednesday was its fifth win in the last 50 years when facing a seven-plus-run deficit in the seventh inning or later. That happens to be the most among MLB teams in the timeframe.
The Cubs will have Thursday off before playing a weekend series against the Washington Nationals. The Cubs and Pirates will meet again next week for a three-game set that will conclude their season series.
