Chicago Cubs: Looking back on this date in team history: May 9

On this date in Chicago Cubs history, the bats have been great. From walk-offs to career milestones, here is what has happened on May 9 over the years.

First, we go back to 1965. The Chicago Cubs were facing off against the Houston Astros in a doubleheader. In the day’s first game the Cubs got off to a hot start taking a 2-0 lead after the first inning. Then the fifth inning rolled around and ended with the Chicago Cubs up 4-2. From there, things went in the wrong direction – with Houston going on to win the opener by an 11-5 final.

In the night cap,  it started off slow with neither team pushing across a tally until the third inning when Glenn Beckert hit a home run off of Bob Bruce to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead. With a scoreless top of the inning for the Astros, the Cubs struck again as Ernie Banks hits a home run off of Bob Bruce putting the Cubs up 2-0.

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Both clubs followed with scoreless half-innings in the fifth before  “Mr. Cub” struck again hitting his second home run of the day, ending the sixth inning 3-0 Cubs. Just for good measure, the Cubs had a four-run eighth inning with the Astros scoring one in that inning. The second game ended 7-1 and Ernie Banks ended with the aforementioned pair of long-balls.

We then fast forward two years to 1967. The Chicago Cubs are facing the San Fransisco Giants at Wrigley Field. Beckert opened up the game with a home run giving the Cubs a 1-0 lead. Then, things went quiet until the sixth when Chicago flipped the switch offensively.

They scored four in the inning and the Giants remained scoreless. The Cubs and the Giants both put up two runs apiece in the seventh inning making the score 7-2. In the bottom of the eighth, the North Siders scored three runs to take a 10-2 lead over the Giants. Cubs legend and future Hall of Famer Ron Santo had five singles in five at-bats in the game.

Then 1982 rolled around and the Chicago Cubs faced off against the Houston Astros. The game was tied heading into the ninth inning 3-3. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Leon Durham doubled, putting the Astros in a tough spot. Houston intentionally walked Bob Molinaro which brought Jody Davis to the plate. Davis hit a walk-off three-run home run, giving the Cubs a 6-3 win.

Five years later in 1987, the Chicago Cubs battled the San Diego Padres at Jack Murphy Stadium. The Padres put the first runs on the board in the third inning giving them a 2-0 lead. In the fourth inning, the Cubs home runs started to come with Leon Durham hitting a home run. Both teams didn’t score again until the sixth when Andre Dawson hit a two-run shot, giving the Cubs the lead. Then in the ninth inning, Durham hit his second home run of the day and Davis also put one over the wall. The Cubs won the game 5-2 with four home runs as a team.

Next, we look into the 1993 season. The Chicago Cubs welcomed the San Diego Padres to Wrigley Field.  Now, you might not think a 5-4 Cubs loss bears remembering, but first baseman  Mark Grace hit for the cycle in the contest.

For there, we jump ahead all the way to 2015, with a young Cubs ball club facing off against the rival Milwaukee Brewers in a rough 12-4 loss. This one is worth remembering, though. Kris Bryant hits his first big league home run, starting a great career for the Cubs.

Last, but certainly not least, we fast forward to 2018 when the Cubs took on the Miami Marlins in an embarrassing game for the Fish, ending in a lopsided 13-4.score. Bryant hit his 100th career homer three years to the day of his first home run.