Swanson Delivers in Ninth as Cubs Stun Dodgers, Extend Win Streak to 10

Well, well, well. Just when you thought the Los Angeles Dodgers had this one locked up, along comes Dansby Swanson to remind everyone why the Chicago Cubs are the hottest team in baseball right now. On Friday night at UNIQLO Field, Swanson delivered the dagger with a ninth-inning solo shot that sent the Dodgers home empty-handed and extended Chicago’s win streak to ten games. Final score: Cubs 6, Dodgers 4.

Let’s be clear about something: this game was a mess for the Dodgers’ bullpen, and Tanner Scott‘s implosion in the seventh inning was nothing short of catastrophic. The man recorded just two outs before getting yanked, surrendering two runs on two hits without even recording a strikeout. That’s not closing time, that’s a fire sale. Ryan Rolison came out of nowhere to grab the win, pitching three scoreless innings of relief while barely breaking a sweat. Meanwhile, Corbin Martin locked it down in the ninth for the save, recording a strikeout with a clean inning.

Now, let’s talk about the star of this show. Swanson went absolutely nuclear on Friday night, finishing 2-for-3 with a triple, a homer, and a ridiculous four RBIs. His go-ahead blast in the ninth was the difference-maker, but his two-run triple in the seventh that put the Cubs ahead was equally crucial. The man is swinging with the kind of purpose that only championship-caliber players possess. At this point, Swanson isn’t just contributing to Chicago’s win streak, he’s the heartbeat of it.

Alex Bregman also played a starring role, going 2-for-5 with a home run of his own. His solo shot in the eighth tied things up and kept the Cubs alive when they needed breathing room. That’s professional baseball, folks. You get your hits when it matters most.

The Dodgers weren’t completely helpless. Will Smith belted a three-run homer in the third that briefly gave Los Angeles a 3-0 advantage and kept the home crowd engaged. Hyeseong Kim added an RBI single in the fourth to extend the lead. But here’s the thing about baseball: one good inning doesn’t win games, and the Dodgers learned that lesson the hard way. They had their chances to put this thing away, and they couldn’t execute when it mattered.

The Cubs Keep Rolling

Chicago’s tenth consecutive win puts them in legitimate contention territory. This isn’t a flash-in-the-pan hot streak anymore, this is a team that knows how to win close games and finish opponents. Nico Hoerner chipped in with an RBI single in the seventh, and Pete Crow-Armstrong scored twice, contributing solid defense in center field throughout the evening. Moisés Ballesteros also scored, giving the Cubs a well-rounded offensive attack that didn’t rely solely on home runs.

What’s Next

The Dodgers have plenty of questions to answer about their bullpen depth, and Scott’s early exit is going to require some soul-searching from the coaching staff. Meanwhile, the Cubs are playing the kind of baseball that makes competitors nervous. Ten straight wins is impressive any way you slice it, and Friday night at Dodger Stadium showed that this team can win games in multiple ways. If Chicago keeps playing like this, they’ll be a force to be reckoned with come October. The Dodgers, conversely, need to tighten up fast before this becomes a trend they can’t reverse.