Cubs walk off after Busch ends 0-for-30 drought with crucial 8th-inning blow

Michael Busch's RBI single in the 8th inning sparked a comeback win for the Cubs over the Pirates.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 9:37pm

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A cubist-style painting featuring overlapping geometric shapes and planes in the colors of the Cubs and Pirates uniforms, dynamically representing the action and energy of the baseball game.A cubist interpretation of the dramatic comeback win for the Chicago Cubs, with fragmented shapes and colors capturing the energy and movement of the game-tying and walk-off hits.Chicago Today

The Chicago Cubs overcame an early 5-0 deficit to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-6 in a walk-off victory on Sunday. The key moment came in the 8th inning when Cubs first baseman Michael Busch, who had been mired in an 0-for-30 slump, delivered a crucial RBI single to tie the game. The Cubs then won it in the 9th inning on a walk-off single by Carson Kelly.

Why it matters

Busch has developed into one of the Cubs' most consistent hitters, so his early-season struggles had been a concern for the team. The walk-off win and Busch's clutch hit could help jumpstart his season and provide a much-needed boost to the Cubs' offense.

The details

Busch entered Sunday's game in an 0-for-30 slump, which had dropped his batting average to .118 on the season. Cubs manager Craig Counsell gave Busch a day off on Saturday to try and reset mentally. In the 8th inning, Busch came off the bench and delivered an RBI single to tie the game at 6-6. That set the stage for the Cubs' walk-off win in the 9th inning.

  • Busch's 0-for-30 slump began after a two-hit game on April 1 against the Guardians.
  • Busch was held out of the lineup on Saturday to try and help him reset mentally.

The players

Michael Busch

The Cubs' first baseman who has developed into one of the team's most consistent hitters, but was mired in an early-season 0-for-30 slump.

Craig Counsell

The manager of the Chicago Cubs who decided to give Busch a day off on Saturday to try and help him reset mentally during his slump.

Carson Kelly

The Cubs player who delivered the game-winning walk-off single in the 9th inning to complete the comeback victory over the Pirates.

Justin Lawrence

The Pirates relief pitcher who gave up Busch's RBI single in the 8th inning that tied the game.

Bryan Reynolds

The Pirates left fielder who committed a throwing error that allowed a second run to score on Busch's 8th inning single.

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What they’re saying

“This is just trying to give a reset to a player that's a really good hitter. He's just got stuck a little bit and is not having any success, not getting any results. I think sometimes just a day where you're not in the lineup, and you can go in the cage and work and not prepare for a game, but prepare to kind of make things better here, is helpful and puts you at ease.”

— Craig Counsell, Cubs Manager

What’s next

The Cubs will look for Busch to build on his clutch 8th inning hit and carry that momentum forward as they continue their series against the Pirates on Monday.

The takeaway

Busch's struggles at the plate early in the season had been a concern for the Cubs, but his game-tying hit in the 8th inning and the team's eventual walk-off win could provide a much-needed boost to both Busch and the Cubs' offense as they look to get their season back on track.