CINCINNATI -- Pete Crow-Armstrong continues to make headlines with his remarkable performance in the Chicago Cubs lineup, regardless of his batting position. His recent achievement, hitting his first career grand slam during the seventh inning of the Cubs' impressive 13-6 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, has set a new milestone. He is now the first Cubs player since the official recording of runs batted in (RBIs) began in 1920 to have two games with at least six RBIs in a single month. This feat highlights Crow-Armstrong's exceptional talent and contribution to the team.
The 23-year-old outfielder, who batted cleanup during the game against the Reds, previously drove in six runs from the leadoff spot in the Cubs' 13-3 win against the White Sox on May 16. Crow-Armstrong expressed his excitement, stating, "It's real cool. We always find a lot of interesting stats in this game. I'm starting to see I'm very lucky to be able to move around throughout this lineup and have a lot of opportunities in front of me. I don't get that without my dudes on base."
According to ESPN Research, the last Cub to achieve six-plus RBIs in a game was Kris Bryant during his MVP season in 2016. Notably, only two other players in the National League under the age of 23 have recorded multiple games with six or more RBIs in a season: Wilmer Flores in 2014 and Mel Ott in 1930, both of whom had two such games.
During the game, Crow-Armstrong showcased his power by hitting a two-run homer in the fourth inning. Later, with the Cubs trailing 6-4 and two outs in the seventh inning, he connected with Tony Santillan's elevated slider, sending the ball off the right-field foul pole for a grand slam that ultimately secured the Cubs' lead. This marked his fourth career multihomer game and the second of the current season.
Crow-Armstrong described the moment, saying, "I thought it was going foul, and then it didn't. I've learned that it is nice to be able to enjoy those moments. Getting to look in the dugout after that ball hits the foul pole is one of the more rewarding things as I go about my day. I think this is a sport where you should appreciate those moments, and we've had a lot of those this year, so it's been nice to be able to kind of cherish those."
Currently, Crow-Armstrong is tied for seventh in the majors with 14 home runs, all of which have come in the last 34 games. This achievement places him among the elite, as he becomes the third Cub since 1901 to hit at least 14 homers in that span, joining the ranks of Sammy Sosa and Hank Sauer, who accomplished this feat twice.
In addition to his home run tally, Crow-Armstrong ranks third in the majors with 45 RBIs and is tied for sixth with 14 stolen bases. According to Elias Sports Bureau, he is only the third player in the big leagues since 1920 to achieve at least 14 homers, 14 steals, and 45 RBIs within the first 51 games of the season. The last player to do so was Eric Davis with the Reds in 1987, following Ken Williams with the St. Louis Browns in 1922.
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell praised Crow-Armstrong's unique abilities, stating, "There's no question that Pete's kind of doing some things very uniquely right. And he does some things that other guys can't do. And that's so much fun to watch. That's why you hear people chant his name all the time. So, we're lucky to be able to watch something like this."
As Crow-Armstrong continues to deliver outstanding performances, fans and analysts alike eagerly anticipate what he will accomplish next in his burgeoning career with the Chicago Cubs.
