Seiya Suzuki delivered the decisive blow and Matthew Boyd handled the heavy lifting as the Chicago Cubs edged the Miami Marlins 2-1 on Thursday, September 24, 2026 at Wrigley Field. Suzuki went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and an RBI to account for the Cubs' entire offensive output, while Boyd turned in seven innings of one-run ball to pick up the win. Chicago trailed by a run at some point and came back to take it, turning a one-run deficit into a one-run victory in nine innings. In a tight regular season game, every pitch and every at-bat counted — and the Cubs made theirs matter.

Matthew Boyd Shuts Down Miami Over Seven Innings

Boyd was the story on the mound Thursday night. Working through seven innings, he allowed just one earned run on five hits, walked two batters, and struck out three. It was a performance that kept the Cubs in a game where Miami's pitching was also holding Chicago's lineup mostly in check. Boyd earned the win, his name going in the book as the pitcher of record in a game the Cubs needed.

After Boyd exited, Daniel Palencia bridged the gap with a clean eighth inning — one walk, no hits, no runs allowed over one inning of work. Ryan Zeferjahn then closed out the ninth, putting up a zero on one inning pitched to earn the save. The Cubs bullpen did not allow Miami to add to its single run, and that held up as the margin of victory.

Seiya Suzuki Provides All the Offense Chicago Needed

Marlins starter Tyler Phillips kept the Cubs at bay for four innings, giving up three hits and four walks but no earned runs across his outing. The real damage came against Miami reliever Jack Ralston. In 1.1 innings, Ralston surrendered three hits and two earned runs, and the Cubs made it count. Suzuki's home run was the turning point — a solo shot that gave Chicago the lead it would not relinquish. He finished 2-for-3 with one RBI, serving as the lone highlight in an otherwise quiet Cubs lineup.

Ralston was tagged as the losing pitcher, taking the decision after the Cubs broke through in the innings he was responsible for. Josh Ekness and Victor Vodnik each threw scoreless frames in relief for Miami, but the damage was already done.

Turning Point: Suzuki's Home Run Flips the Score

The comeback element is what gives this win its texture. The Cubs trailed by one run and manufactured a two-run total to come out on top. Suzuki's long ball was the engine of that turnaround. Without it, the Cubs likely finish on the wrong side of a low-scoring pitchers' duel. With it, they handed Boyd a victory and Zeferjahn a save in a game that required every piece to fit.

Cubs Pitching Breakdown

  • Matthew Boyd (W): 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
  • Daniel Palencia: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
  • Ryan Zeferjahn (SV): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Marlins Pitching Breakdown

  • Tyler Phillips: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 2 K
  • Jack Ralston (L): 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
  • Josh Ekness: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
  • Victor Vodnik: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

What's Next for the Cubs

The Cubs pick up a 2-1 win that required a comeback, a quality start, and a timely home run all in the same evening. That is a complete game by most measures. Chicago will carry this result forward as the 2026 regular season continues to wind down. Keep an eye on Boyd, who made a clear case for himself with seven innings of quality work, and on Suzuki, whose bat proved to be exactly what the Cubs needed when it mattered most.