Exit 8: Cubs 7, Phillies 2

Q: What was the final score of the Cubs vs. Phillies game on April 22, 2026?

The final score was Cubs 7, Phillies 2.

Q: Who were the standout players in the Cubs vs. Phillies game?

Key players included Nico Hoerner and Alex Bregman for the Cubs, and Justin Crawford for the Phillies.

Q: How many consecutive losses have the Phillies experienced as of April 22, 2026?

The Phillies have experienced eight consecutive losses.

Q: What errors contributed to the Cubs' victory over the Phillies?

Errors included a bobbled fly ball by Justin Crawford and a throwing error by Dansby Swanson that allowed Trea Turner to reach first safely.

Apr 22, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Justin Crawford (2) hits a sacrifice ground ball RBI against the Chicago Cubs during the second inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images …we came in? Anyway, I saw Exit 8 a few days ago. It’s a horror film about a man who finds himself trapped in an endless, looping train station passage, returning again and again to the same place. It’s come to mind, watching the Phillies recently. There’s always an element of repetition to a baseball season, playing out every day, with variations, across the spring and summer. But the routine that the Phillies find themselves in goes beyond the typical patterns and patter of daily baseball. They are playing the same game, again and again. It has resulted in their eighth straight loss. The Phillies went with Kyle Backhus as an opener, hoping to escape Taijuan Walker’s first-inning woes. But the woes found them nevertheless: Nico Hoerner and Alex Bregman hit seeing-eye singles, ushered through the infield by the BABIP gods, and the Cubs had runners on the corner, none out. A grounder from Ian Happ was just tough enough to prevent the double play; the Phillies got the runner at second, but surrendered an RBI. The BABIP gods are fickle, though, their actions inexplicable to mortal minds. The Phillies, for reasons known only to the cosmos, suddenly entered into their good graces, with Felix Reyes reaching first on an infield single against Cubbie starter . slapped a single to right, Sosa hit a ball against the famed ivy, not yet in full summer splendor, for a double, and the Phillies had it tied. Justin Crawford hit a little dribbler that was far from the ivy, but far enough to score Bohm. Taijuan Walker thus entered the game in the bottom of the second with the lead. Walker’s first inning almost went cleanly. He got the first two outs with little trouble. The third should’ve come on a fly ball to Justin Crawford. But Crawford bobbled the ball. He would not get a chance to bobble the next: hit one to the wall in center for an RBI double, and the game was tied. Like their BABIP counterparts, the gods of baseball miscues were intent on proving they do not play favorites. In the top of the third, hit a grounder to short, then made it to first safely when chucked it over the head of . But the Phillies couldn’t turn the good fortune into a reclaimed lead, and their fortune turned again when Alex Bregman hit a fly ball that bounced against the basket over Wrigley’s outfield fence, preventing Crawford from potentially catching it. The result was a leadoff triple, and then a lead for the Cubs when Happ singled. The next deep fly ball would not test one’s knowledge of Wrigley’s ground rules: Busch sent one well over the basket to put the Chicagos’ lead to two. We weren’t quite done with questions about homers, though. hit a deep fly ball to left, which sailed to the wrong side of the foul pole. Something fooled the umpire’s eyes, and it was ruled a homer, though there was little tension in the subsequent review and overturning. There was more tension in the next homer— off Walker on a cutter, scoring two— though none of it came from the question of whether or not it was gone. Rather, the tension was entirely in the emotions evoked in the fractured, fractious Phillies fanbase. The replacement of Boyd with Ben Brown didn’t help the Phillies break through; neither did putting in to pinch-hit for . took over from Walker, and navigated the bottom sixth with ease. He did the same in the seventh. But the Phillies could not get runners on, and did not threaten the Chicago bullpen. Rangel came out again for the eighth, and finally faltered, allowing a leadoff double to Moisés Ballesteros, skipping and bouncing up the first base line. A strong throw from García was not quite enough to put him out. Crow-Armstrong scored him with a bloop single that was as short as his name is long. The Phillies faced in the ninth. Bohm singled to right to begin the frame, but no more damage was done . The last out was made on a strikeout, with the final strike coming on an overturned ABS call. Much of what can be said about tonight’s game has already been said. The story is familiar, repetitive, looped. The Phillies’ pitching allowed too many runs, the bats were too quiet, too often. Isn’t this where…