2026 Cubs Heroes and Goats: Game 21

Until that happens, enjoy every win this team is able to stack. With this win, they are on a 92.6 win pace. It definitely gets harder from here. But it starts with a Phillies team that has had some recent struggles of its own, including getting manhandled Tuesday and Wednesday by the Cubs to start this winning streak.

It’s always fun to recap a game like this. In a 2-1 extra-inning victory, every contribution is a key contribution. Behind every key I note and all of the heroes are even more pieces that mattered. Any one contribution falling away probably loses a game.

Three Positives:

• Ian Happ reached base three times (the Cubs reached only 11). One of those led to the tying run.
• Javier Assad faced 20 batters over 5.2 innings and allowed only three hits, no walks and one run.
• PCA had a triple and was hit by a pitch. He scored the winning run with his legs even after they’d gotten him in trouble twice earlier in the game.

Hat tip to the no-name brigade out of the Cub pen. Four Cub relievers threw 4.1 scoreless innings, allowing three hits and no walks.

Game 21, April 19: Cubs 2, Mets 1 (12-9)

Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.

THREE HEROES:

• Superhero:Michael Conforto (.491). 1-1, 2B, RBI
• Hero: Ian Happ (.178). 2-3, BB
• Sidekick: Matt Shaw (.117). 1-1.

THREE GOATS:

• **Billy Goat:**Seiya Suzuki (-.313). 0-4
• Goat: Dansby Swanson (-.272). 0-4
• Kid: Carson Kelly (-.206). 0-4

WPA Play of the Game: Michael Conforto’s one-out double in the ninth scored the tying run from first. (.491)

*Mets Play of the Game: MJ Melendez led off the fifth inning with a solo homer. (.144)

Cubs Player of the Game:

Game 20 Winner: Carson Kelly received 139 of 171 votes.

Rizzo Award Standings:(Top 3/Bottom 3)

The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.

• Nico Hoerner +12.5
• Carson Kelly/Michael Conforto +6
• Edward Cabrera/Daniel Palencia +5
• Phil Maton -6
• Matt Shaw -8
• Pete Crow-Armstrong -15

Up Next: The Cubs will try to win a sixth straight game. The Phillies come to town. The Cubs just won the last two in Philly to start this streak. Over these last six games, these two teams have moved as mirror images. The Phillies were swept over the weekend and have lost five straight. They are now 8-13. So once again, the Cubs will look to take advantage of catching a team at exactly the right time.

Colin Rea (2-0, 3.63, 17.1 IP) makes his second start for the Cubs. Last Tuesday he was the “bulk guy” against the Phillies after Riley Martin threw a scoreless first as the opener. Rea allowed three runs on four hits and no walks over six in that one. It’ll be interesting to see how it goes with him seeing them twice back-to-back. Aaron Nola (1-1, 4.03, 22.1 IP) was the opposition in that game. He allowed three runs on eight hits and two walks over five innings. The Phils bullpen allowed seven runs (six earned) over only four innings in that one.

Six in a row sure would be nice.