Cubs' Late Rally Falls Short Against Royals at Sloan Park

The Chicago Cubs faced off against the Kansas City Royals in a preseason encounter at Sloan Park, ending with the Cubs tallying a 9-3 loss. This game brought the Cubs' record to 9-3, while the Royals improved to 8-4. Despite a spirited effort in the final innings, the home team could not overcome the deficit established by Kansas City's mid-game surge.

Cubs Struggle to Capitalize

Throughout most of the game, Chicago struggled to find their rhythm at bat. The team managed only six hits and scored three runs over nine innings. A notable performance came from Peter Crow-Armstrong who showcased his potential with an impressive batting average of .667 and an on-base plus slugging (OPS) of 1.667 from three at-bats, highlighting his offensive contribution despite limited opportunities.

On the pitching side, Benjamin Brown started for the Cubs but encountered challenges against a persistent Royals lineup. Brown's efforts resulted in an earned run average (ERA) of 7.364 over 3.2 innings pitched, reflecting Kansas City's aggressive approach early on.

Royals Seize Control Mid-Game

The turning point came during the fourth inning when Kansas City broke through with four hits and three runs, setting a tone that they maintained throughout much of the contest. Their offense was relentless, accumulating twelve hits and capitalizing on scoring opportunities across multiple innings including two pivotal moments in both seventh and eighth innings where they added five more runs to their lead.

Kansas City's balanced attack was evident as they spread their productivity across several players and innings, demonstrating depth in their lineup that proved too much for Chicago's defense and pitching staff to contain effectively.

Looking Ahead

The Cubs will look to regroup as they prepare for their next preseason game against cross-town rivals, White Sox at Camelback Ranch in Phoenix on March 7th at 3:05 PM EDT. Fans can catch all action live on CHSN network as both teams aim for bragging rights early into this year’s campaign.

As we continue our coverage leading up to this anticipated matchup between two storied franchises, stay tuned for more updates and analysis from around spring training camps across Arizona and Florida.