In the last installment of this series, we celebrated the Cubs comeback from nine runs down against the Astros. They led the N.L. East by 2½ games after that win.
But then they hit a rough patch. They would lose six of their next nine games, including a Friday afternoon game, September 8 against the Cardinals at Wrigley Field. That was a tough 11-8 loss not just for the score, but because the Cubs had blown a 7-1 lead.
Thus it was that they led the Cardinals by just half a game going into the Wrigley contest of Saturday, September 9.