The 10 best Cubs games of 2021, part 2

In yesterday’s installment, we looked back at five memorable wins before Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer traded away eight players at the deadline (and 11 overall from the Opening Day roster).

The “sub Cubs” who replaced the guys traded didn’t play all that well, in general. That wasn’t unexpected. Still, those players did put together 21 wins after the deadline and here are the five that I find most memorable. Again, these are in chronological order.

August 23: Cubs 6, Rockies 4

The Cubs entered this game having gone 2-15 since the trade deadline (including a 12-game losing streak) and some thought they might not win five games total after the deadline.

The Rockies scored three off Kyle Hendricks in the first inning and took a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the eighth. A three-run eighth which included a two-run single by Patrick Wisdom and RBI double from Michael Hermosillo tied the game.

In the bottom of the ninth, Jason Heyward led off with a single and one out later, Rafael Ortega ended it with a walkoff homer [VIDEO].

August 28: Cubs 7, White Sox 0

Alec Mills threw 8⅓ outstanding innings, allowing four hits and two walks, and the Cubs defeated the Sox for the only time in six tries in 2021.

In the second inning, Mills struck out the side [VIDEO], Yasmani Grandal, Brian Goodwin and Andrew Vaughn.

I thought of this game and how Mills dominated the Sox during the Sox’ division series Game 3 against the Astros, when Houston pitchers just got knocked around silly by White Sox hitters.

September 2: Cubs 6, Pirates 5 (11 innings)

Keegan Thompson served up a three-run homer to Colin Moran in the first inning.

The game stayed 3-0 Pirates until the Cubs posted a five-run seventh thanks to a three-run homer by Rafael Ortega and two-run shot by Ian Happ.

Rowan Wick could not hold the lead in the ninth and the Pirates tied it.

No one scored in the 10th and the Pirates didn’t score in the top of the 11th.

In the bottom of the 11th, Sergio Alcántara was the Manfred Man and was sacrificed to third. The Pirates gave Frank Schwindel an intentional pass. (Neither one of those things, the placed runner and the automatic intentional walk, existed before 2017. Thanks, Manfred.)

Ian Happ then won the game on this ridiculous hit [VIDEO].

(Keep an eye on what Schwindel does during that play, too.)

September 4: Cubs 7, Pirates 6

The Cubs trailed 6-4 going to the bottom of the ninth. They put two runners on base with one out, and Alfonso Rivas singled one run in to make it 6-5 [VIDEO].

With runners now on first and third, Rafael Ortega’s single tied the game [VIDEO].

Frank Schwindel was the next hitter [VIDEO].

With all the homers Schwindel hit for the Cubs — 13 in just 56 games — I think that’s the 2021 play I’ll most remember him for.

September 8: Cubs 4, Reds 1 (10 innings)

Solo homers by Ian Happ and Joey Votto were the only scoring in this game’s first nine innings. Happ’s homer was one of the longest of the year by a Cub:

In the 10th, the Reds brought in former Cub Brad Brach. Brach helped his old team out! Patrick Wisdom singled Willson Contreras (the Manfred Man) to third, and Jason Heyward walked it off [VIDEO].

So there were some fun and memorable moments even in a rough two months for the Chicago Cubs in 2021. Here’s hoping for many more of these in a better 2022.