The Magic Wild Card Home Field Number stood at 2 at game-time. Cubs stalwart Colin Rea (10-7, 4.06) opposed frequent nemesis Miles Mikolas (8-10, 4.79) , who the team had treated roughly the last time around, swatting six long flies in an 11-3 shellacking.
Nico Hoerner treated Rea to an early lead with a solo home run (7) [VIDEO].
Rea knew what to do and commenced filling up the strike zone. PCA clobbered #30, his fifth off Mikolas, with Tucker on base [VIDEO], and extended the lead to 3-0.
Michael Busch (32) added another blast [VIDEO]. 4-0.
Rea continued to do quality work until he was pulled with one out and two on in the sixth. Caleb Thielbar quelled that uprising.
The Cardinals eventually scored a run, but then the lumber company truck arrived it it got knotty, with Cubs players