Swanson’s Late Homer Lifts Cubs 6-4 Past Dodgers for 10th Straight Win/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Dansby Swanson crushed a go-ahead two-run homer in the ninth inning as the Chicago Cubs rallied past the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 for their 10th straight victory. Batting from the No. 9 spot, Swanson drove in four runs and helped erase a 4-0 deficit against Dodgers pitching. The comeback win also moved Cubs manager Craig Counsell one step closer to a milestone with his 899th career managerial victory.
LOS ANGELES — The Chicago Cubs continued their red-hot run Friday night, rallying from four runs down to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 behind Dansby Swanson’s dramatic two-run homer in the ninth inning.
The win marked Chicago’s 10th consecutive victory and gave manager Craig Counsell his 899th career managerial win.
Swanson, batting from the No. 9 spot in the lineup, finished with four RBIs and delivered the biggest swing of the night with one out in the ninth.
His 413-foot blast off Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott landed in the left-field pavilion and broke a 4-4 tie, sending Pete Crow-Armstrong home after his leadoff single.
It was the perfect finish to a comeback that looked unlikely early against a dominant Dodgers start.
Los Angeles controlled the game early behind starter Emmet Sheehan, who looked sharp from the first pitch.
The right-hander struck out seven of the first nine batters he faced and tied his career high with 10 strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings.
Chicago struggled badly against his command and timing.
The Dodgers built a 4-0 lead with strong early offense.
Will Smith delivered the biggest blow in the third inning with a two-out, three-run homer that gave Los Angeles a commanding advantage.
Hyeseong Kim added an RBI single in the fourth inning to stretch the lead and put Chicago deeper into trouble.
At that point, it looked like the Dodgers were in full control.
Everything changed once Sheehan left the game.
Chicago’s offense came alive against a shaky Dodgers bullpen featuring Alex Vesia, Blake Treinen, and Tanner Scott.
The Cubs began the comeback in the seventh inning.
With two outs, Swanson ripped a triple to center field that brought home two runs and cut the deficit to 4-3.
Immediately after, Nico Hoerner followed with an RBI single to keep the momentum going.
Suddenly, the Cubs were right back in the game.
The Dodgers’ bullpen, which has been inconsistent at times this season, could not stop the momentum shift.
In the eighth inning, Alex Bregman delivered another huge moment for Chicago.
Leading off against Blake Treinen, Bregman launched a solo home run to tie the game at 4-4.
That set the stage for Swanson’s heroics in the ninth.
Crow-Armstrong opened the inning with a single, giving Chicago an immediate chance.
Swanson then stepped in and turned on Tanner Scott’s pitch, sending it deep into the left-field seats.
The Cubs dugout erupted as the two-run shot completed the comeback and gave Chicago its first lead of the night.
For Swanson, it capped one of his best offensive performances of the season.
While the offense grabbed the headlines, Chicago’s bullpen quietly kept the game within reach.
Ryan Rolison earned the win after delivering three scoreless innings of relief.
He stabilized the game after the Cubs fell behind and gave the offense time to work its way back.
Corbin Martin then handled the ninth inning with confidence, retiring the side in order to secure his first save.
That combination shut down the Dodgers’ offense late and prevented any chance of a response after Swanson’s homer.
It was a complete team comeback built on both timely hitting and strong relief pitching.
One of the biggest surprises of the night was how quiet Los Angeles’ top stars were offensively.
Shohei Ohtani struck out three times and added only a walk, unable to make his usual impact.
Freddie Freeman also had a difficult night, going 0-for-4.
Kyle Tucker, facing his former team, finished 0-for-3 with a walk and never found his rhythm at the plate.
With the middle of the lineup silent late in the game, the Dodgers could not answer Chicago’s comeback push.
That lack of production proved costly in a game they once controlled.
The victory also carried personal significance for Cubs manager Craig Counsell.
It was the 899th managerial win of his career, putting him just one away from reaching the 900-win milestone.
Counsell has helped guide the Cubs through one of the hottest stretches in baseball, and this latest comeback showed the team’s growing confidence and resilience.
Winning 10 straight games against strong competition has quickly turned Chicago into one of the hottest stories in the National League.
The club continues to find different heroes each night, and Friday belonged to Swanson.
Chicago will try to make it 11 straight wins on Saturday.
Right-hander Colin Rea, who enters at 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA, is scheduled to start for the Cubs.
The Dodgers will counter with right-hander Roki Sasaki, who has struggled early this season with an 0-2 record and a 6.11 ERA.
Los Angeles will look to stop the Cubs’ momentum and avoid dropping another game at home.
Chicago, meanwhile, is playing with the confidence of a team that believes every game is winnable.
And after Friday night’s comeback, that belief only looks stronger.
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