Guardians Rally Past Cubs in Nightcap to Split Doubleheader

Gabriel Arias' late RBI single lifts Cleveland to 6-5 victory in Game 2 after Chicago won the opener 1-0.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 12:22am

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The Cleveland Guardians rallied from early deficits to beat the visiting Chicago Cubs 6-5 in the nightcap of a Sunday doubleheader, splitting the twin bill after the Cubs won the opener 1-0. Gabriel Arias' RBI single in the eighth inning capped a three-run frame and lifted the Guardians to the victory.

Why it matters

The Guardians and Cubs are both contending teams in their respective divisions, so this doubleheader split was an important result in the early stages of the MLB season. The comeback win in the nightcap showed the Guardians' resilience and ability to overcome adversity.

The details

In the second game, the Cubs built early leads of 3-0 and 4-3 before the Guardians rallied. CJ Kayfus hit a pinch-hit RBI single in the sixth to make it 3-1, then launched a game-tying solo homer in the eighth. After the Guardians tied it in the sixth, the Cubs regained the lead on Ian Happ's solo shot in the eighth, but Cleveland responded with three runs in the bottom half, capped by Arias' go-ahead single.

  • In the third inning, Matt Shaw hit a leadoff home run for the Cubs.
  • In the sixth inning, Dansby Swanson hit a two-run homer to extend the Cubs' lead to 4-3.
  • In the eighth inning, Kayfus hit a game-tying solo homer, and Arias followed with the go-ahead RBI single.

The players

Gabriel Arias

A 23-year-old infielder for the Cleveland Guardians who delivered the game-winning RBI single in the eighth inning of the nightcap.

CJ Kayfus

A 24-year-old outfielder for the Cleveland Guardians who hit a pinch-hit RBI single in the sixth inning and a game-tying solo homer in the eighth inning of the nightcap.

Matt Shaw

A 26-year-old infielder for the Chicago Cubs who hit a leadoff home run in the third inning of the nightcap.

Dansby Swanson

A 29-year-old infielder for the Chicago Cubs who hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning of the nightcap.

Ian Happ

A 28-year-old outfielder for the Chicago Cubs who hit a solo home run in the eighth inning of the nightcap.

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What they’re saying

“We showed a lot of fight to come back and get the split. It was a big team win.”

— Gabriel Arias, Guardians Infielder

What’s next

The Guardians and Cubs will meet again for a three-game series in Chicago starting on June 10.

The takeaway

This doubleheader split demonstrated the competitive nature of both the Guardians and Cubs, who are expected to be in the playoff hunt throughout the 2026 MLB season. The Guardians' comeback win in the nightcap highlighted their resilience and ability to overcome early deficits.