Owen Caissie wasn’t thinking about driving his first home run as a Chicago Cub on Tuesday.

In fact, when he smashed his first career big league homer, the thought never crossed his mind that the ball might leave the park.

“Hit the ball and run,” Caissie said. “I didn’t even think about it going over the fence, especially with the wind. It just kind of a blackout mentality.”

That homer put the Cubs up 6-4, providing the kind of insurance run that made the Wrigley faithful breath a little easier. It goes beyond just a home run, too.

Caissie was the catalyst for the Cubs in Game 1. His day of personal firsts provided moments that were sorely needed.

What they’re saying:

The Cubs took Game 1 of a Tuesday double-header vs. Milwaukee 6-4, with most of the big plays happening in the afternoon coming at Caissie’s hand.

He hit a two-run RBI single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the first inning. Those were his first RBI as a major leaguer.

Then, Caissie made two defensive plays in right field with the wind bringing two fly balls back into play where he was able to make the play and record an out.

Then, Caissie hit his home run. The moments he created in just a single game weren’t overlooked.

“He was the impact in this game that we needed,” pitcher Matthew Boyd said after Game 1.

Caissie, who had a bases-loaded situation on Monday but couldn’t drive any runs in, was in the same situation again on Tuesday.

“That’s what’s great about baseball,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “You have a big at bat yesterday with the base loaded, and then you’re staring at it again in the first inning of the next game. That was a big hit.”

The Cubs’ rookie embraced the challenge, because he knew he was going to get more chances to make an impact with the Cubs early on as a major leaguer. That mentality paid off for Caissie.

He didn’t know it would come that soon, though.

“I really just told myself, ‘You’re made for this and step back in the box and do a job,'” Caissie said. “I’m going to have many more opportunities to do that, and today I got one.”

Dig deeper:

Caissie was called up before the Cubs’ series with the Blue Jays, and before the Cubs decided to give star Kyle Tucker a break. He didn’t play in Games 1 or 2 of the doubleheader on Tuesday.

The Cubs are a team in a slump. They need something. They saw flashes of it Tuesday. Willi Castro, a trade-deadline acquisition, hit a three-run home run. That ran concurrently with Caissie’s big day.

The three RBI both Caissie and Castro drove in during Game 1 were all the Cubs needed. The red-hot Brewers made it a 5-4 game before Caissie’s solo shot extended some breathing room.

With the Cubs needing more to stay in the NL Central race, Caissie’s bat and glove might prove to be imperative in the present day as the Cubs’ stars try to reset and realign.

“I’m just trying to help the team any way possible,” Caissie said. “When I can do it, really means a lot.”