Taillon and Tucker Propel Cubs to Victory Over Rockies

AP Photos/ Davis Banks

The Chicago Cubs continued their strong run of form with a 3–1 victory over the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field. Jameson Taillon delivered a dominant performance on the mound, and Kyle Tucker provided the offensive spark as the Cubs improved to 8–2 over their last ten games. In contrast, the Rockies’ loss marked their eighth in nine games, solidifying their position at the bottom of the league standings. Taillon (4–3) retired the first 14 batters he faced before surrendering a solo home run to Mickey Moniak in the fifth inning. It was Moniak’s fifth home run of the season and his second in as many games. Despite the setback, Taillon remained composed, striking out seven and issuing no walks before exiting in the seventh inning after recording one out. The Cubs capitalized early when Ian Happ scored on a groundout by Dansby Swanson in the first inning. After Moniak tied the game in the top of the fifth, Tucker responded in the bottom half with an RBI single that brought home rookie Matt Shaw. Tucker later added a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning to extend the Cubs' lead. One of the game’s pivotal moments came in the sixth inning when the Rockies mounted a threat, placing runners on second and third with only one out. Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner helped preserve the lead by throwing out Jacob Stallings at the plate on a grounder by Ryan McMahon. Reliever Daniel Palencia then closed the game with a perfect ninth inning to earn his third save of the season.

While Swanson contributed defensively, he went 0-for-4 at the plate, ending his career-best 24-game on-base streak. Despite this, the Cubs showed resilience and depth on both sides of the game, continuing their push in the NL Central standings. In contrast, Colorado’s Carson Palmquist (0–3) turned in a respectable outing, allowing two runs over five innings in his third major league start. Nevertheless, the Rockies’ continued struggles on both offense and defense keep them at the bottom of the standings with a dismal 9–45 record. As the season progresses, the Cubs appear poised for a strong playoff push, led by a balanced rotation, timely hitting, and solid defensive performances like Monday’s showing against Colorado.