Cubs snap historic home losing streak at 13 games on Rafael Ortega’s walk-off home run
Written by Luck Wilson on August 24, 2021
It was only eight weeks ago that the Chicago Cubs were sitting in first place in the NL Central and looking at their sixth postseason berth in the past seven years. An 11-game losing streak followed, the front office sold at the trade deadline, and now the Cubbies are in fourth place and in the mix for a top-five pick in the 2022 draft.
Chicago is a National League worst 13-39 since the start of the 11-game losing streak, and over the weekend the Cubs set a new franchise record with 13 straight home loses. That streak finally came to an end Monday night thanks to Rafael Ortega’s walk-off home run against the Rockies (CHC 6, COL 4). To the action footage:
“I think (Michael) Hermosillo said, ‘I didn’t know we had a theme song,’ ” Cubs manager David Ross told reporters, including MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian, when asked about hearing “Go Cubs Go” again. “It was good, man. It was good. The crowd was into it.”
The Cubs scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to knot the score up at 4-4, then Ortega won it in the bottom of the ninth. The 30-year-old journeyman outfielder is now hitting .305/.365/.483 on the season. He received an opportunity after Kris Bryant, Jake Marisnick and Joc Pederson were traded at the deadline and has been a bright spot these last few weeks.
As for the home losing streak, it is officially over. Here are the longest home losing streaks in Cubs history:
- 13 games: July 27 to Aug. 22, 2021
- 12 games: April 4 to May 5, 1994
- 10 games: July 27 to Aug. 13, 1974
- 10 games: June 24 to July 28, 1951
The Cubs also had a 10-game home losing streak spanning 1956-57. They lost their final two home games in 1956 and their first eight home games in 1957. Those are the only five double-digit home losing streaks in Cubs history.
Furthermore, the Cubs went 28 days between home wins — their last home win prior to Monday was July 26 — and that is the longest period of time without a home win since a 29-day stretch from May 30 to June 28, 2006, according to team historian Ed Hartig (via The Athletic’s Meghan Montemurro).
Despite the 13-game home losing streak, the Cubs are 32-31 at Wrigley Field this season. They’ve gone 23-41 away from the Friendly Confines and are 55-72 on the season overall.
KVSP