Cubs vs Cardinals: Cardinals Split Series After Cubs’ Offensive Explosion

Michael Busch homered and led a 13-hit attack as the Cubs crushed the Cardinals 9–1, but St. Louis rallied to take the series finale. Full recap, player focus (Busch), how to watch Cubs game today, standings context, and authoritative sources.

Cubs vs Cardinals Context

Game 1 (Aug 9, 2025): Chicago Cubs 9, St. Louis Cardinals 1. Michael Busch crushed a three-run homer as the Cubs erupted for 13 hits and a six-run cushion early. Colin Rea held the Cards in check with six strong innings.
Game 2 (Aug 11, 2025): Cardinals rebounded to win 3–2 in the series finale; Nolan Gorman’s RBI single delivered the win in a tight contest. Sonny Gray grabbed the mound win and JoJo Romero closed it out.
Michael Busch: Busch’s three-run shot was his 22nd homer of the season and extended his knack for big hits vs. St. Louis this year.

Those are the load-bearing facts — keep them at the top of any summary card or social post.

The big takeaways from the weekend series

Busch Explodes — Cubs’ offence wakes up: After a shutout the night before, the Cubs answered in emphatic fashion. Busch’s three-run homer (and Matt Shaw’s extra-base hits) flipped the momentum and exposed St. Louis pitching early. Chicago scored in each of the first five innings to build a blowout lead.
Starting pitching mixed bag: Colin Rea delivered a solid outing in the rout, while Shōta Imanaga threw well in the finale (nine strikeouts) but was outdueled by Sonny Gray’s steady seven innings. That contrast — dominant offense one night, tight pitching duel the next — is what made the series feel like a microcosm of the season.
Cards bounce back: St. Louis didn’t fold — Nolan Gorman’s late RBI single and strong bullpen work gave the Cards the series split and a tidy confidence boost heading into their next homestand.
Standings & urgency: The Cubs are playing meaningful games down the stretch of the season; sparking the offense is vital if they want to maintain pressure in the NL Central race. Conversely, the Cardinals’ resilience keeps them in the mix for any wild-card chase.

Game recap — how the 9–1 blowout unfolded (Aug 9)

The Cubs answered a quiet opener with a statement night at Busch Stadium. Chicago banged out 13 hits, including two home runs and a triple, and scored in each of the first five innings. The early onslaught started with small ball and aggressive baserunning and then exploded when Michael Busch launched a three-run homer in the second inning that blew the game open. Matt Shaw followed with extra-base damage and the Cubs never looked back. On the bump, Colin Rea settled in to limit St. Louis to one run over six innings while the Cub bullpen (Thielbar, Taylor Rogers, Drew Pomeranz) closed cleanly.

Key moments:

2nd inning: Busch’s three-run shot (his 22nd) made it 5–0 and chased starter Andre Pallante.
Matt Shaw: contributed a solo homer and RBI triple that helped pad Chicago’s lead.
Pitching: Rea’s six-inning outing limited the Cardinals’ rally chances and let the offense breathe.

If you watched the highlights, Busch’s homer produced loud reaction in the right-field seats and was the statistical highlight of Chicago’s offensive night. The video is on MLB.com and the play is featured in highlight packages.

The comeback — Cardinals win finale 3–2 (Aug 11)

Baseball is a 162-game marathon for a reason. After getting drilled the night before, St. Louis scratched out a gritty comeback in the finale. Nolan Gorman redeemed an earlier error by delivering the game-winning RBI single in the seventh, breaking a 2–2 tie and handing the Cards a narrow victory. Sonny Gray tossed seven solid innings (two runs, seven strikeouts) and the bullpen — with JoJo Romero — closed the door. Chicago’s Shōta Imanaga struck out nine but couldn’t get the final out when it mattered. The split leaves both clubs with reasons to feel encouraged and points to address.

Michael Busch — the Cubs’ hot bat vs. St. Louis

Michael Busch has been one of the more dangerous hitters against the Cardinals this year. His three-run shot was not only a momentum play — it was his 22nd home run of the season — and made him a clear offensive catalyst in the first game of the series. MLB’s highlight package and team reports have noted Busch’s repeated success at Busch Stadium this season: his numbers vs. St. Louis are a small-sample monster, and he’s become a go-to bat in big moments during this matchup cycle.

Why Busch matters: he bats in a middle order that can swing games quickly when he’s locked in. The Cubs will need those kinds of innings from him if they’re going to keep up with the top NL clubs.

Seven innings and seven strikeouts for Sonny! pic.twitter.com/lIMaiB6Dar

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) August 11, 2025

What this series means for the Cubs today — outlook & urgency

Cubs game today and beyond: Chicago is in a stretch that matters — every divisional game counts. The offense’s ability to score in bunches (like the 13-hit, 9-run night) is encouraging; yet the team also showed how thin margins can be when you face a steady veteran like Sonny Gray. Expect manager Craig Counsell to mix his lineup and keep the rotation fresh down the stretch. The team’s front office will also be evaluating bullpen depth and bench options as trade-deadline whispers continue to circulate.

Practical note for fans: if you’re searching for “cubs game today” or “cubs score,” check MLB.com, ESPN, and the Cubs’ official site for real-time updates and TV listings — those pages also host highlight clips and postgame interviews.

Player grades & quick hits

Michael Busch (C): A — three-run homer (22), sparked the offense.
Matt Shaw (INF): A — multiple extra-base knocks including an RBI triple.
Colin Rea (SP): B+ — six innings, one run allowed, lowered pressure on the bullpen.
Shōta Imanaga (Cubs SP, finale): B — nine strikeouts, tough-luck loss.
Nolan Gorman (STL): A — game-winning RBI single after earlier error, showed resilience.

How to watch Cubs vs Cardinals and follow scores

If you want to catch the next Cubs game today (or check live Cubs score updates):

TV / Streaming: Most Cubs broadcasts are on the Cubs’ regional network (Marquee Sports Network). National games appear on ESPN, TBS, or Fox/FS1 depending on the schedule. MLB.tv carries out-of-market games live.
Live score & play-by-play: ESPN gamecasts, MLB.com gameday, and CBSSports game trackers provide live pitch-by-pitch stats. For quick alerts, follow the Cubs’ official X/Twitter account or use push notifications on the MLB app.
Highlights: MLB.com posts official highlight reels; team channels post condensed games for fans who missed action. Busch’s three-run blast is already on MLB’s video page.

Analysis — the tactical and roster implications

Depth matters: The Cubs’ offense looked deep in the 9-1 blowout; bench players like Matt Shaw can change games when they get opportunities, which is valuable for long-term push.
Starting pitching remains key: Rea’s outing in Game 1 stabilized the rotation for that night, but the finale underscored the need for consistent length and run support in road environments. The Cubs’ rotation will be judged on how often it can give the bullpen a chance during the stretch run.
Close games vs blowouts: Baseball seasons are built on both — big wins are momentum changers, tight losses teach focus under pressure. The Cubs experienced both in one weekend — a useful snapshot for the coaching staff.