Welcome to Wrigley Field, Andrew Romine.

In his first game at the historic park as a member of the Cubs, Romine gave the home faithful a memory they soon won’t forget. And the circumstances made it that much sweeter.

Trailing by 3 runs in the 8^th inning with two outs, a pair of runners on and facing former Cub Craig Kimbrel, Romine ripped a home run to the right field bleachers that tied the game and sent the Wrigley horde into a frenzy.

“I’m no dummy, I know who’s on the mound when I’m coming up in that situation,” Romine said. “I was really just trying to find a hole somewhere, trying to get a pitch I could do something with. Trying to get on that fastball if he came inside, which he did, and I managed to get the barrel on it and these short fences kinda helped a little bit, but a home run’s a home run.”

And the Cubs enjoyed every second of that home run.

“We all were excited,” David Ross said. “You’re happy for the guys in front to have those good at-bats. That was a big home run for us.”

The good vibes were spoiled, though, as the Cubs fell to the White Sox in extras 8-6. 

A handful of Cubs, including Romine, made their Wrigley Field debuts as Cubs on Friday. Frank Schwindel started at first, Greg Diechmann played right, Codi Heuer pitched the 9^th and Manuel Rodríguez and Michael Rucker threw in the 10^th, all debuting as Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Schwindel hit his first Wrigley Field home run, a towering, 105-mile-per-hour shot to left field that cut the Cubs’ deficit to 8-6. Heuer pitched a clean 9^th in his debut at the Friendly Confines, striking out 1.

Kimbrel allowed 3 earned runs on Romine’s one swing. It was more than Kimbrel had allowed in 2021 with the Cubs.

Craig Kimbrel gave up 2 ER in 36.1 IP with the Cubs this season.

He just gave up 3 ER on a single swing of the bat against his former team in the 8th inning here at Wrigley.

— Tony Andracki (@TonyAndracki23) August 6, 2021