Cubs Erase Five-Run Deficit With Walk-Off in the Ninth
CHC def. ATH · June 4, 2026 · Final: Cubs 7, Athletics 6
Chicago trailed 6-1 with the win-probability meter sitting at 2.8% heading into the bottom of the seventh. Oakland had built that lead methodically — a Shea Langeliers solo shot in the top of the fourth, a Henry Bolte RBI double and Langeliers' inside-the-park home run in the top of the sixth, then back-to-back home runs from Tyler Soderstrom and Jonah Heim in the top of the seventh. The Cubs were buried at Wrigley Field.
The first crack in the deficit came in the bottom of the seventh. Cubs left fielder Ian Happ drove a fly ball to right field for a two-run home run — Alex Bregman scored ahead of him — cutting Oakland's lead to 6-3.
Then the ninth inning happened.
Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong had pulled Chicago within 4-1 with a solo home run in the sixth, but it was Happ who reopened the ninth. His sharp line drive to right field doubled in Michael Busch, making it 6-4. One batter later, Cubs catcher Moisés Ballesteros hit a ground ball toward third that deflected off shortstop Alika Williams, and Ian Happ scored to make it 6-5.
Dansby Swanson, Chicago's shortstop, grounded a single to center to score Kevin Alcántara and tie it at 6, with Seiya Suzuki advancing to third.
Crow-Armstrong stepped in with the game on the line. He lofted a fly ball to right field that dropped in front of Lawrence Butler. Seiya Suzuki scored, and the Cubs had what they needed.
Chicago Cubs 7, Oakland Athletics 6.
The Comeback
- Largest deficit
- 5 runs — in the top of the 7th
- Win-probability nadir
- 2.8% (down 5 in the top of the 7th)
- Lead flipped for good
- bottom of the 9th
- Lead changes
- 1
- Final
- CHC 7, ATH 6 — won by 1, walk-off
Scoring Summary
| Inn. | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| T4 | Umpire reviewed (home run), call on the field was upheld: Shea Langeliers homers (15) on a fly ball to right center field. | 1-0 |
| T6 | Henry Bolte doubles (3) on a sharp line drive to center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. Alika Williams scores. | 2-0 |
| T6 | Shea Langeliers hits an inside-the-park home run (16) on a fly ball to center field. Henry Bolte scores. | 4-0 |
| B6 | Pete Crow-Armstrong homers (9) on a fly ball to right field. | 4-1 |
| T7 | Tyler Soderstrom homers (8) on a fly ball to left center field. | 5-1 |
| T7 | Jonah Heim homers (3) on a fly ball to center field. | 6-1 |
| B7 | Ian Happ homers (14) on a fly ball to right field. Alex Bregman scores. | 6-3 |
| B9 | Ian Happ doubles (13) on a sharp line drive to right fielder Lawrence Butler. Michael Busch scores. | 6-4 |
| B9 | Moisés Ballesteros singles on a ground ball to third baseman Zack Gelof, deflected by shortstop Alika Williams. Ian Happ scores. | 6-5 |
| B9 | Dansby Swanson singles on a ground ball to center fielder Henry Bolte. Kevin Alcántara scores. Seiya Suzuki to 3rd. | 6-6 |
| B9 | Pete Crow-Armstrong singles on a fly ball to right fielder Lawrence Butler. Seiya Suzuki scores. Dansby Swanson to 3rd. | 6-7 |
Box score
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Line score
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATH | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 0 |
| CHC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 0 |
CHCWinning team
Batting
| Batter | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pete Crow-ArmstrongCF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .246 |
| Michael ConfortoRF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .253 |
| Michael Busch1B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .246 |
| Alex Bregman3B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .255 |
| Ian HappLF | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | .237 |
| Nico Hoerner2B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .253 |
| Seiya SuzukiPH | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .243 |
| Dansby SwansonSS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .184 |
| Moisés BallesterosC | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .237 |
| Pedro RamírezDH | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .143 |
Pitching
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | NP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shota Imanaga | 6.0 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 84 |
| Trent Thornton | 1.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 22 |
| Ryan Rolison | 1.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 22 |
ATHLosing team
Batting
| Batter | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry BolteCF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .300 |
| Nick Kurtz1B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .284 |
| Shea LangeliersDH | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | .289 |
| Lawrence ButlerRF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .159 |
| Tyler SoderstromLF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .231 |
| Jonah HeimC | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .197 |
| Zack Gelof3B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .264 |
| Alika WilliamsSS | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .118 |
| Colby ThomasRF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .261 |
| Jeff McNeil2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .247 |
| Brent RookerPH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .195 |
Pitching
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | NP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J.T. Ginn | 6.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 88 |
| Scott Barlow | 1.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| Mark Leiter Jr. | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 16 |
| Joel Kuhnel | 0.2 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Luis Medina | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |