Pete Crow-Armstrong: A Historic Player for the Cubs
CINCINNATI – Regardless of where Craig Counsell places Pete Crow-Armstrong in the Chicago Cubs’ lineup, the center fielder is producing at a record pace.His first career grand slam in the seventh inning on Friday in the 13-6 victory over the Cincinnati Reds made him the first Cubs player since RBIs became an official statistic in 1920 to have two games with at least six RBIs in a calendar month.
The 23-year-old outfielder, who batted fourth on Friday night, drove in six runs from the leadoff position in the Cubs’ 13-3 victory over the White Sox on May 16.
It’s great. We always find a lot of interesting stats in this game that I’m starting to watch. I’m very lucky to be able to move through this lineup and have many opportunities ahead. I don’t get it without my teammates on base.
Pete Crow-Armstrong
According to data, the last Cubs player to have six or more RBIs in an individual season was Kris Bryant during his MVP season in 2016. The only other National League players aged 23 or younger with multiple games of six or more RBIs in a season were Wilmer Flores (2014) and Mel Ott (1930). Both had exactly two.
Crow-Armstrong hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning. With the Cubs trailing 6-4 with two outs in the seventh inning, he hit a high slider from Tony Santillan, which hit the right field foul pole to put the Cubs ahead for good.
It was the fourth multi-home run game of his career and the second this season.
Crow-Armstrong looked like a golfer after hitting the pitch, trying to keep the ball in play as it curved and then made an emphatic bat flip after it bounced off the post. He celebrated as he ran the bases.
I thought it was going to go foul, and then it didn’t. I’ve learned that it’s good to be able to enjoy those moments. Being able to look at the dugout after that ball hits the foul pole is one of the most gratifying things as I go through my day. I think this is a sport where you have to cherish those moments, and we’ve had a lot of them this year, so it’s been nice to be able to appreciate them.
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Crow-Armstrong is tied for seventh in the majors with 14 home runs. However, all of them have come in the last 34 games. He is the third Cubs player since 1901 to have at least 14 home runs in that span, joining Sammy Sosa and Hank Sauer, who did it twice.
He is also third in the majors with 45 RBIs and tied for sixth place with 14 stolen bases.
He is the third player in Major League Baseball since 1920 with at least 14 home runs, 14 stolen bases, and 45 RBIs in the first 51 games of a season. Eric Davis was the last to do it in 1987 with the Reds and Ken Williams the first with the St. Louis Browns of 1922.
There’s no doubt that Pete is doing some things very uniquely and correctly. And he does some things that other guys can’t do. And it’s a lot of fun to watch. That’s why people are chanting his name all the time. So we’re lucky to be able to witness something like this.
Craig Counsell
