The can’t-lose Cubs needed 10 innings to beat the Reds 7-6 on a wild, weird, not entirely wonderful Wednesday at Wrigley Field.
The day began on a sour note, with the completely unexpected news of yet another injury to a key pitcher, this time starter Matthew Boyd.
It ended with yet another walk-off win — the Cubs’ third in as many days — after a couldn’t-script-it ninth inning that sent the game into extras and fans who haven’t left the ballpark with frowns on their mugs in nearly a month into delirium.
It also ended with a winning pitcher, Trent Thornton — sorry, who? — absolutely no one could have seen coming. Good to meet you, Thorn-o, and we’ll get back to you in a bit.
The Cubs’ 25-12 record is their second-best through 37 games in over a century.
They’ve won eight consecutive games overall and now have a hard-to-believe 14-game winning streak at Wrigley, their longest since 2008. If they complete a four-game sweep of the Reds on Thursday, they’ll have their longest home streak in 91 years.
Their 17-5 start at Wrigley is their best after 22 games since 1985, and their 18-3 all-out tear over the last three-plus weeks makes them — in case it weren’t obvious — the hottest team in baseball.
