BOX SCORE

CHICAGO — As the Cubs’ 2025 schedule eases up, the must-win games become more and more crucial. 

Tuesday’s meeting with the Miami Marlins at Wrigley Field was one of those games, and the Cubs did it on one of their last chances, as Justin Turner‘s two-run double with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning gave them a 5-4 win.

Here are three takeaways as the Cubs (25-18) beat the Marlins (15-26) at the death.

Cardiac Cubs strike again

In a scenario that has happened many times this year, the Cubs found themselves down in the bottom of the ninth. 

With two runs needed to stay in the game, Carson Kelly led off the inning with a sharp ground ball that Marlins shortstop Xavier Edwards couldn’t handle. A Dansby Swanson walk and Moisés Ballesteros fielder’s choice later, Nico Hoerner came up with an RBI opportunity.

He took that opportunity with an RBI single that pulled the Cubs within 5-4.

Then it was Turner’s turn, and it didn’t matter that the 40-year-old infielder was hitting just .155. He drove the second pitch he saw down the left field line, and the ball rolled into the corner. As Hoerner raced around third base, Turner stopped at second and put his hands in the air.

Hoerner touched home. Ballgame.

Cubs win. Again.

Make way for Moisés

As if one top prospect making his MLB debut for the Cubs over the weekend wasn’t enough, they decided to do it again Tuesday.

This time, they called up Ballesteros, a 21-year-old phenom whose 19-game hitting streak with Triple-A Iowa last month certainly raised eyebrows in the Cubs’ front office.

He batted seventh as the Cubs’ designated hitter, as one of the lineup puzzle pieces shifted to accommodate Ian Happ’s move to the 10-day IL. But Ballesteros, who had crushed Triple-A pitching with ease this season, definitely found himself on a learning curve in his MLB debut.

Ballesteros’ first big spot come during his second at-bat after the Cubs loaded the bases with one out. Eager as he was, Ballesteros reached for a changeup that was high and outside, and rolled it over to second base for an inning-ending double play.

When he came to bat in the bottom of the ninth, with runners on first and second, Ballesteros put the ball in play again and grounded into a fielder’s choice. Vidal Bruján then pinch ran for Ballesteros, who finished 0-for-4.

Another one, thank you

Pete Crow-Armstrong hit 10 home runs all last season. He hit his 11th of this year Tuesday through just 43 games.

Marlins pitcher Valente Bellozo made the grave mistake of giving Crow-Armstrong an off-speed cutter over the heart of the plate in the bottom of the third. The Cubs center fielder didn’t miss that pitch, sending it out to the right-field video board in a hurry — at 108 mph off the bat.

Crow-Armstrong’s solo shot evened the score at 1, and he later was responsible for the Cubs’ second run of the game when he drove in Hoerner on a sacrifice fly in the fifth. 

Crow-Armstrong now leads the Cubs in homers and is tied for fourth-most in MLB, just three behind league leaders Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber.

The Cubs welcome the Marlins back to Wrigley on Wednesday night looking for their first three-game sweep since April 2 against the Athletics. Jameson Taillon (2-2, 4.53 ERA) will take the mound for the Cubs in the series finale, and Ryan Weathers will make his first start of the season for the Marlins.