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MLB.com is keeping track of a Stat of the Day for the Cubs this season, highlighting a unique, interesting or fun nugget from each game.
May 5: Cubs 6, Dodgers 5 (11 innings) — Sweeping away L.A.
The Cubs swept the Dodgers in a three-game series at Wrigley Field for the first time since May 26-28, 2008. The Dodgers had not been swept in a series of at least three games against any team since April of 2019. In fact, prior to the Cubs’ brooming, the Dodgers’ 68 consecutive series (three or more games) without being swept was the longest in their franchise’s history, per the Elias Sports Bureau.
May 4: Cubs 4, Dodgers 3 (Game 2); Cubs 7, Dodgers 1 (Game 1) — Down go defending champs
With their two wins over the Dodgers on Tuesday, the Cubs completed a doubleheader sweep over a defending World Series champion for the 13th time in franchise history, according to team historian Ed Hartig. It marked the first such occurrence since July 4, 1980, when the Cubs swept the Pirates in a twin bill. The last time Chicago pulled off the feat at Wrigley Field, specifically, was on July 11, 1965, against the Cardinals.
May 2: Reds 13, Cubs 12 (10 innings) — Cubs stuff record books
This was just the fifth time in MLB history that both teams scored at least 12 runs and hit at least five home runs in the same game. Astoundingly, the Cubs have been involved in three of the five instances, and a Cubs-Reds matchup has accounted for two of them. They are: Cubs-Reds (May 2, 2021); White Sox-Tigers (May 28, 1995); Phillies-Cubs (May 17, 1979); Reds-Cubs (July 28, 1977); Yankees-Athletics (May 22, 1930).
May 1: Cubs 3, Reds 2 — Kimbrel’s scoreless streak
Though it didn’t come easy for the veteran closer, Craig Kimbrel turned in another scoreless outing and picked up his eighth save of the season. He gave up back-to-back hits in the ninth inning but struck out Alex Blandino and Tyler Naquin before getting Nick Castellanos to ground out to second to end the game. That extended Kimbrel’s scoreless-innings streak to 18 1/3 dating back to Sept. 3 of last season.