Carson Kelly's Cubs' heroics checked a box fans haven't seen since forgotten prospect

Labor Day 2025 will forever be remembered at the Carson Kelly game. Kelly has been an unsung hero for the Cubs' season, and when it looked like the Cubs were going to drop Monday's game to the Atlanta Braves, the veteran catcher put his superhero cape on.

Kelly's heroics began in the bottom of the eighth inning, facing former Cubs' farmhand Pierce Johnson, he launched a two-run home run that tied the game at 6.

At one point during Monday's game, the Cubs faced a 6-1 deficit. The Cubs' inconsistency during the second half of the 2025 season has often been defined by their inability to score runs. More than that, once the Cubs trailed in a game over the last couple of months, it felt like the offense wasn't going to come through in the way they did during the first half of the season.

Kelly's swing in the eighth inning was a reminder of the highs the Cubs experienced to start the season. But the momentum didn't stop there. With the game still tied in extra innings, Kelly called game.

With Kelly having the game-tying home run for the Cubs in the eighth inning and then the walk-off hit for the team in extras, the 31-year-old catcher matched a feat that was once done by former Cubs' top prospect Corey Patterson in 2004.

Kelly's moment on Monday was certainly needed. After failing to complete the sweep against the Colorado Rockies over the weekend, returning to Wrigley Field only to get blown out against the lowly Braves would have been a disappointing way to open the final month of the regular season. The Cubs are angling toward the top spot in the National League wild-card race, and they can't afford to play down to their opponent.

For most of Monday, that is what the Cubs were doing as the whole team just looked checked out. Fortunately, Kelly switched up the vibes, and hopefully that could lead to the Cubs returning to form in September.

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