Chicago Cubs Walk-Off Thriller: Today’s Cubs Score, Highlights & Playoff Implications

Wrigley Field was rocking Friday afternoon, but the latest Cubs score wasn’t the one fans hoped to see. The Chicago Cubs fell 9-4 to the Seattle Mariners in the series opener, slipping to 45-31 yet remaining atop the NL Central. The game doubled as a celebration of Sammy Sosa’s first appearance at the Friendly Confines in 21 years, and the packed house briefly erupted when Ian Happ launched a leadoff homer to center. Unfortunately, the offensive fireworks fizzled while Seattle’s kept crackling. Key moments from the 9-4 final score • Fast start, fast fade: Happ’s sixth-pitch blast tied the game 1-1, but Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez each answered with two-homer performances, tagging the Cubs’ bullpen for seven runs over the final four frames. • Matthew Boyd’s short outing: The veteran lefty exited after five solid innings (2 ER, 6 K) at just 76 pitches, protecting a 4-2 lead. Once Boyd turned it over, Chicago’s normally stout relief corps unraveled. Ryan Pressly surrendered a two-run shot to Raleigh in the seventh and Genesis Cabrera gave up Rodríguez’s three-run bomb an inning later. • Reese McGuire’s resurgence: Starting behind the plate for the first time since early May, McGuire homered and singled, flashing the left-handed pop Chicago will need while Yan Gomes remains on the IL. • Missed chances: The Cubs finished 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, stranding eight. Seattle, meanwhile, drove in runs with two outs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, padding the cushion that silenced Wrigley’s rally hopes. A full box score is available on MLB.com. Why the result matters June has been kind to the North Siders—Chicago is still 11-6 this month—but consecutive losses to Milwaukee and Seattle expose bullpen fatigue and the thin margin for error atop a crowded division. Manager Craig Counsell emphasized post-game that Shōta Imanaga’s impending return from a rehab start should lighten the relief load next week. Still, the Cubs score late in games has been lopsided recently: opponents 15, Cubs 4 from the seventh inning on over the last three contests. Sammy Sosa steals the spotlight Even a five-run loss couldn’t mute nostalgia. When the video board flashed highlights of Sosa’s 609 career homers, the former MVP emerged from the dugout to thunderous applause. The franchise icon waved a blue-pinstriped flag, saluted all corners of the ballpark, and threw a ceremonial first pitch to fellow slugger Ian Happ. “I felt the love,” Sosa said. “Now let’s get these guys back to the playoffs.” His presence underscored the organization’s effort to bridge past and present—and generated a buzz that trended alongside searches for “Cubs score” throughout the day. Looking ahead: how to follow the next Cubs score The three-game set continues Saturday at 1:20 p.m. CT, streaming on Marquee Sports Network and MLB TV. Justin Steele (6-3, 3.14 ERA) opposes Bryce Miller (5-4, 3.68), and with Chicago’s bullpen taxed, Steele’s length is crucial. Fans searching “Cubs score today” can also enable live push alerts in the MLB app or follow @Cubs on X for inning-by-inning updates. SEO recap If you’re hunting for the latest Chicago Cubs score, yesterday’s final read Mariners 9, Cubs 4. Check back this afternoon for live Cubs score updates, post-game analysis, and continuing coverage of the playoff chase as the North Siders aim to even the series and keep first place in the National League Central.