The Cubs were missing the breakthrough hit all night long on Monday, but found one when it mattered most. Facing Padres closer Mason Miller in the bottom of the ninth inning, Cubs designated hitter Seiya Suzuki sent a deep fly ball to left field, where outfielder Jase Bowen was unable to finish a leaping catch as he crashed into Wrigley Field’s famous ivy-covered brick wall. The baseball shook free and Suzuki threw his arms skyward, having delivered a walk-off single to give the Cubs a dramatic 3-2 win. “He throws his fastball 100-some miles an hour,” Suzuki said via his interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “So, you have to keep that in the back of your head, even in that situation. In that at-bat, I was looking for if there was a slider that was towards in, up and in. That’s one pitch I can get to. I’m glad I didn’t miss it.” The win is the Major League-leading 10th in walk-off fashion for the Cubs, who had struggled to get much going throughout the game. Chicago went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position in the first eight frames, but that was effectively erased with the players surrounding Suzuki in celebration on the field.
