The Chicago Cubs are on an absolute tear, and their latest victory over the Cincinnati Reds has fans buzzing with excitement. On Thursday, the Cubs extended their winning streak to nine games with an emphatic 8-3 win, completing a four-game sweep at Wrigley Field. This hot streak has been nothing short of historic—the Cubs have now won 15 straight games at home, their longest such run since 1935.
Michael Conforto was the star of the show, going 3-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs. Stepping in for a resting Seiya Suzuki, Conforto made the most of his opportunity, launching a solo shot off Reds starter Rhett Lowder in the second inning. He also dazzled defensively, crashing into the wall to make an inning-ending catch in the fifth with two runners on base.
On the mound, Shota Imanaga continued his dominant stretch, pitching six innings of one-run ball. The 32-year-old left-hander extended his scoreless streak to 12 innings before Sal Stewart took him deep for a solo homer in the sixth. Imanaga finished with 10 strikeouts, marking his fifth career double-digit strikeout game, and improved to 4-2 on the season.
The real fireworks came in the fourth inning, when the Cubs exploded for seven runs—their highest-scoring inning of the season. Lowder walked the first two batters of the frame before exiting with what the team called right shoulder tightness. Reliever Connor Phillips entered but couldn't stop the bleeding, allowing both inherited runners to score as Chicago seized control.
Ian Happ also made his mark, drawing a walk in the fourth to extend his on-base streak to 28 games, the second-longest active streak in Major League Baseball. The Cubs (26-12) are now firing on all cylinders, while the Reds (20-18) have dropped seven straight.
In roster news, the Cubs called up reliever Gavin Hollowell from Triple-A Iowa and designated Corbin Martin for assignment earlier Thursday. Hollowell allowed a solo homer to Blake Dunn in the eighth and an RBI double to JJ Bleday in the ninth before Daniel Palencia locked down the save, his second of the season.
Looking ahead, the Reds will send left-hander Nick Lodolo to the mound for his season debut against the Houston Astros on Friday. The Cubs, meanwhile, have yet to name a starter for their upcoming game at Texas. With momentum like this, Cubs fans have plenty to cheer about—and maybe even a new favorite jersey to wear to the ballpark.