Joshua Báez made history by becoming the first player to hit three home runs in his first three at-bats in Major League Baseball. His remarkable performance led the St. Louis Cardinals to an 8-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.
The 23-year-old left fielder, newly promoted from Triple-A Memphis, hit the first pitch he faced into the bleachers at Wrigley Field. He continued his power display with two more home runs in his subsequent at-bats, driving in five runs altogether.
Blaze Jordan and Alec Burleson also contributed to the Cardinals’ win with solo home runs. The Cardinals bounced back from losing the opening game of the three-game series.
This achievement made Báez the first St. Louis player since Lane Thomas in June 2019 to homer in his initial career plate appearance.
For the Cubs, Michael Conforto delivered a three-run homer. Despite the loss, the Cubs had previously won nine out of their last 11 games.
Cardinals pitcher Michael McGreevy (5-9) secured the win, allowing three unearned runs on five hits and two walks. He also struck out six over a span of six innings, earning his first victory since July 8.
Báez’s first homer, a two-run shot, landed deep in the left-center bleachers in the first inning. Conforto’s homer briefly tied the game at 3-3 in the second inning, but Báez reclaimed the lead with a fourth-inning homer and then hit another two-run shot in the sixth.
Jordan’s home run concluded the day for Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd (8-2), who allowed seven runs over 5 1/3 innings. Boyd struck out two while conceding five hits and three walks. Burleson added another homer off Colin Rea in the eighth inning.
Up Next: The series will conclude on Sunday afternoon. The Cardinals will start Hunter Dobbins (2-3, 3.40 ERA), while the Cubs will rely on Edward Cabrera (5-4, 5.10 ERA). Cabrera will make his first start since June 23 due to a left hamstring strain.
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