Chicago Cubs: Looking back at the Cinco de Mayo moments in Cubs history
Not only is May 5 Cinco de Mayo, a day widely celebrated across the country, but it also has been a captivating day in Chicago Cubs history.
Over the 145 years of its storied history, the Chicago Cubs organization has certainly seen its share of many, many highlights, including game-winning moments, but it has seemed like Cinco de Mayo seems to have a special sort of magic for the club.
Although it’s not a federally-recognized holiday, the Cubs have played like it’s one – putting together some truly incredible moments. From a walk-off home run to absolutely demolishing the opponent, the Cubs did it all during their history of games on May 5. Here are some top moments that happened on this date in franchise history.
Lets us begin the list by traveling back to 1938 when the Cubs demolish the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field. Cubs’ offensive power helps them score 12 runs in the eighth inning alone, defeating the Phillies 21-2. Center fielder Joe Marty had himself a game with four hits, four runs scored and four RBI. Leadoff hitter Stan Hack had a trio of hits, which included a double and a triple, while scoring a pair of runs and driving in two. Right-hander Al Epperly pitched a complete game to earn the victory.
Eight years later, we see the Cubs and Phillies meet up again at Wrigley in a 1946 regular season contest. This time the Cubs offense plates 11 runs in the seventh inning. Pitching for the Cubs was Hank Borowy, who pitched a complete game, also driving in four runs with two doubles in the inning. Andy Pafko homers later in the game, giving the Cubs a 13-1 victory over the Phillies.
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The Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers had a high-scoring game on this date in 1976. It was the highest-scoring game played at Wrigley at that time. That didn’t last long, though. Three years later, the Phillies beat the Cubs 23-22 in a wild affair in 1979.
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Los Angeles and Chicago battled it out at Wrigley; unfortunately, the Cubs didn’t come out with the victory as they lost 14-12. Offensively the Cubs had some strong performers as Rick Monday hit two bombs and drove in six. Both Bill Madlock and Steve Swisher racked up four hits, along with Champ Summers, who had three hits and drove in four.
The Cubs found themselves down 2-1 going into the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres in a tense 1990 battle. Mark Grace reaches via a single. Now steps in the 6’1″ outfielder Shawon Dunston, who hits a bomb to plate both Grace and himself to give the Cubs a 3-2 walk-off victory over the Padres. On the afternoon, Greg Maddux pitched a complete game for the North Siders.
Sammy Sosa was a big topic in 1996, especially after this game. Sosa got the game started against the New York Mets with a home run in the first inning. He played it back and went deep again when it mattered the most, belting a walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth to give Chicago a 5-4 with over New York.
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The Cubs crushed the Dodgers on this date back in 2001. The dramatic score of 20-1 was a combination of eight runs scored in each of the seventh and eighth innings. Now, you’re probably wondering how the Dodgers gave up so many. Well, it seems like the Cubs bats were exploding off of the Dodgers relievers. Out of the three relievers the Dodgers used, they gave up 16 runs on 12 hits.
Offensively for the Cubs, Sosa and Todd Hundley got the game started as both homered in a pair. Hundley finished the game going 1-for-4 with a home run and drove in two. Sosa and infielder Eric Young both had three hits in their four at-bats. Starting pitcher Julian Tavarez got it done on the mound for the Cubs as he went seven innings, giving up one run on six hits with eight strikeouts.
The most recent moment that happened on Cinco de Mayo was against our bitter rivals in St. Louis in 2019. The Cubs won their seventh game in a row and swept the Cardinals in a three-game series at home. Chicago’s A 13-5 victory over the Redbirds came courtesy of Kris Bryant’s grand slam, with Anthony Rizzo, Wilson Contreras and David Bote each driving in two runs apiece.