BOX SCORE

CHICAGO — If there’s one thing to know about the 2025 Cubs, it’s that they love a nail-biter. 

Tuesday’s 4-3 win in 11 innings over the Colorado Rockies was the Cubs’ third walk-off of the year, as Matt Shaw’s first career walk-off hit landed the Cubs another win and put them 13 games over .500 for the first time since September 2019.

Here are three things we learned as the Cubs (34-21) secured the series over the Rockies (9-46) in dramatic fashion. 

Horton hears a ‘Q‘

Even with a few bumps in the road, Cade Horton continues to settle in nicely as the newest man in the Cubs’ rotation, as he notched his first MLB quality start Tuesday night.

Horton got off to a scorching start, setting the Rockies down in order in each of his first three innings of work. 

The 23-year-old then ran into some trouble in the fourth, hitting leadoff man Jordan Beck in the arm after getting ahead 1-2 in the count. After Beck stole second, Horton got two quick outs, but then Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon’s soft single scored Beck and cut the deficit in half. 

A walk and a single followed to load the bases and brought Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy out to the mound, but Horton shook off the threat to make quick work of Michael Toglia with an inning-ending flyout. 

After six strong innings, Horton came back out in the seventh but was met immediately with a first-pitch, game-tying home run for Brenton Doyle. That ended Horton’s outing, as Cubs manager Craig Counsell then called on veteran reliever Caleb Thielbar to replace the rookie starter.

Regardless, it was only Horton’s second earned run of the night as he finished with a season-high six strikeouts and just one walk.

A great week just got better

When Counsell was asked about Seiya Suzuki’s performances as of late, Counsell chuckled. 

“I think he had a great week,” he quipped. 

Suzuki was named NL Player of the Week ahead of the game on Tuesday after going 12-for-25 (.480) with three home runs, 10 RBI and a 1.552 OPS. 

Suzuki continued to live up to that title during the game when his RBI single in the third inning put the Cubs on the board. It was his 50th RBI of the season, making him the first player in MLB to reach that mark this season. 

With that, Suzuki also cemented himself in a bit of team history: He’s the first Cub since Derrek Lee in 2005 to have 50 RBI in the first 55 games of the season. 

Lee was an All-Star that season and Suzuki hopes to follow suit, as he is slashing .272/.330/.568 (.898 OPS) with 14 home runs.

Got ‘em!

Reese McGuire already showed what he was capable of offensively with his multi-home run game in Cincinnati on Sunday, but on Tuesday, it was time for him to make his presence known behind the plate. 

[Cubs share plan at catcher in wake of Miguel Amaya injury news]

McGuire showed off the arm and the pop time as he caught two Rockies stealing. The first came in the sixth as he nabbed Hunter Goodman to clear the bases after Goodman’s one-out single. 

The second one came in clutch — with the game tied in the top of the ninth, the Rockies had Tyler Freeman on first base ready to put pressure on Cubs reliever Ryan Pressly. But McGuire had no interest in seeing Freeman on second, gunning him down to end the threat and keep the Cubs in the driver’s seat. 

The Cubs will look to get another sweep in the books in Wednesday’s 7:05 p.m. finale. Southpaw Matthew Boyd (4-2, 3.42 ERA) will get an opportunity to bounce back from his start in Cincinnati, while right-hander Tanner Gordon (1-1, 4.38 ERA) will take the mound for the Rockies.