The Chicago Cubs rolled past the Atlanta Braves 8-4 at Wrigley Field on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, powered by a combined seven RBI from Pete Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman and six dominant innings from Shota Imanaga. Crow-Armstrong went 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI, while Bregman matched him hit-for-hit — also going 3-for-4 — adding a homer and four RBI. Chicago's offense battered Braves starter JR Ritchie early and never looked back, handing Atlanta a convincing defeat in a game that was never really in doubt after the middle innings.

Imanaga Shuts Down Atlanta Lineup for Six Innings

Shota Imanaga was the foundation this Cubs win was built on. The left-hander worked six innings, allowing just one earned run on four hits while walking nobody and striking out eight Braves hitters. That kind of command and efficiency gave Chicago's offense every opportunity to do damage — and they did plenty of it.

The bullpen did its job well enough in the late innings, with Ryan Zeferjahn finishing clean in the ninth — one strikeout, no runs — to close it out. Aaron Civale and Ryan Rolison had some turbulence in the seventh and eighth, combining for three earned runs on three hits, but by that point the Cubs had built enough of a cushion that it never turned into a genuine threat.

Crow-Armstrong and Bregman Lead Cubs Offensive Outburst

This was Pete Crow-Armstrong's night. Two home runs, three hits, three RBI in four at-bats — he was locked in from his first trip to the plate and didn't let up. It was the kind of performance that grabs your attention and demands a full recap.

Bregman was right there with him. Three hits, one home run, four RBI — that's a 3-for-4, four-RBI line against a big-league pitching staff, and it did serious damage to Atlanta's JR Ritchie early. Ritchie lasted only 4.2 innings, allowing six earned runs on seven hits, and the Cubs made him pay for every mistake.

Carson Kelly also contributed a quiet 2-for-4 night at the plate, adding to a Cubs lineup that put together consistent at-bats throughout.

Turning Point: Cubs Knock Out Ritchie Before the Fifth Inning Ended

The pivotal stretch of this game came when the Cubs chased Ritchie before he could finish the fifth inning. With six earned runs already on the board and the lineup clicking, Atlanta's bullpen — Owen Murphy in particular — couldn't slow Chicago down either. Murphy came on and surrendered five more hits and two more earned runs across 2.1 innings. By the time the dust settled, the Cubs had eight runs and the Braves had no realistic path back into the game.

Ronald Acuña Jr. went 2-for-4 for Atlanta, and Mauricio Dubón added two hits and an RBI, but the Braves' offense couldn't generate enough against Imanaga when it mattered most.

Key Performances at a Glance

  • Pete Crow-Armstrong: 3-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI
  • Alex Bregman: 3-for-4, 1 HR, 4 RBI
  • Carson Kelly: 2-for-4
  • Shota Imanaga (W): 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K
  • JR Ritchie (L): 4.2 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 5 K

What's Next for the Cubs

Chicago stays home at Wrigley Field as the series with Atlanta continues. After a performance like this — eight runs, three-plus hits each from two starters, and a gem from Imanaga — the Cubs will look to carry that momentum into the next game and keep pressure on in the final stretch of the 2026 regular season.