Pete Crow-Armstrong powers Cubs to 4-2 win over Dodgers - Game 18 Recap

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Pete Crow-Armstrong playing hitting a home-run against the Dodgers

The Chicago Cubs took Game Three against the Los Angeles Dodgers by a score of 4-2. The Cubs climb back to win a tough road series against the defending champs and claim a dominant +15 run differential while doing so.

The Dodgers would start the scoring in the bottom of the second when a Kike Hernandez RBI to left to scored Michael Conforto.

But the Cubs would respond in the top of the third as Pete Crow-Armstrong would hit his first homer of the season to tie the game up. Crow-Armstrong barely tucked that ball into the fair side of the foul pole, and it was hit a just 370 feet. But the Cubs get on the board, nonetheless.

Both starting pitchers would keep the game relatively uneventful until the bottom of the sixth inning. That was until Michael Busch sent another Glasnow pitch over the fence for a 2-1 lead.

A great night for an unlikely starter

Colin Rea was given the ball in this one for the Cubs after the devastating news of Justin Steele’s injury. He would pitch a phenomenal game for the Cubs against the World champions. In 3.2 innings, he allowed just one run on four hits and one walk. Rea lost out on a spot in the rotation to Ben Brown at the beginning of the season, and as a result, he wasn’t stretched out to be a starter. But in his limited action, he did well for the Cubs.

Reliever Brad Keller replaced Rea and allowed a run to score in the sixth off a Will Smith double that scored Conforto.

Ethan Roberts would enter in the bottom of the sixth and would escape the inning with no damage, thanks to a sensational play from Matt Shaw.

Pete Crow-Armstrong got hot

PCA hit another homer in the seventh. His second homer of the night and just the second multi-homer game of his career. The California kid would end his night with two homers and a triple. What a night for someone who had struggled mightily to begin the season.

In the eighth, Nico Hoener hit an RBU single to right. It was nearly caught by Teoscar Hernandez, but the Cubs doubled their lead to 4-2.

The Cubs’ bullpen shut it down

Porter Hodge entered in the eighth and sat down all three batters he faced.

In the top of the ninth, Pete Crow-Armstrong continued his great night with a triple on Jack Dreyer.

The Cubs trotted out closer Ryan Pressly to maintain their two-run advantage in the bottom of the ninth. He would retire all three he faced to complete the save for the Cubs.

Despite their brutal early schedule, the Cubs have raced out to an 11-7 record. The Cubs will continue their west coast road trip against the Padres tomorrow night in hopes of keeping up their white hot start.

Jameson Taillon will get the ball tomorrow against Dylan Cease to begin the three-game series. The Cubs would love to repeat the result against the last time they played San Diego, which was just over a week ago.

Michael DeFrancisco Michael DeFrancisco is a writer and contributor covering MLB for Heavy Sports. He started working at Heavy in 2025 and has experince covering Chicago Sports. More about Michael DeFrancisco