3 Takeaways After 4-Hit Nights From Bregman, Hoerner Lead Cubs Past Cardinals

The Chicago Cubs are still rolling.

The St. Louis Cardinals had enjoyed making life difficult for their NL Central rivals earlier in the season, but the Cubs are playing like a completely different team now. That showed in Monday's 7-3, series-opening win at Busch Stadium.

Alex Bregman and Nico Hoerner combined for eight of the Cubs' 14 hits, and Chicago (60-46) has now won 15 of its last 23 games. They sit six games back of the Milwaukee Brewers in the division and maintain their stronghold on the top NL Wild Card spot by 3.5 games.

Here are three things we learned in a dominant Cubs performance!

Bregman Bounces Back

Jul 24, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman (3) warms up before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Alex Bregman took the day off for Sunday's series finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was a sorely needed one for the 32-year-old, who had been hitless in his previous 12 at-bats.

Well, that seemed to be the recipe for a great night on Monday.

breggy has driven in 18 runs over his last 20 games. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/e5gF1J9Cpr
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 28, 2026

Following Seiya Suzuki's double in the top of the first, Bregman got the scoring started with a two-bagger of his own to give the Cubs the early advantage.

he's cooking! pic.twitter.com/KqLEHmPwts
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 28, 2026

His next at-bat? An opposite-field home run. And his next? A 100-mph single to right field to give him a three-hit night in just the fifth inning.

Bregman wasn't done yet. He kept up the pressure in the ninth, poking a leadoff bloop double to right to cap off a four-hit night. It was his first such game as a Cub, and his first four-hit game since April 6, 2025, in the early stages of his tenure with the Boston Red Sox.

New (Old)-Look Nico

Jul 8, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner (2) gets ready to warm up before a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Nico Hoerner entered the All-Star break hitting just .233.

After his fifth at-bat and a four-hit night on Monday, that number was up to .254. It was his second four-hit game of the season, his first coming just nine days ago against the Minnesota Twins.

Nico Hoerner is 17-for-42 with 8 RBI since the break. His average has gone from .233 to .250 over that stretch.

He looks more like himself every day. pic.twitter.com/JPemwGiRhg
— Carson Wolf (@TheWrigleyWire) July 28, 2026

Hoerner is a career .278 hitter who finished second in the batting average race last season, so by his standards, this has been a well-down offensive season for him. But the way he's managed to get things back on track for himself after such a difficult slump in the first half has been quite admirable.

The 29-year-old is now 19-for-44 (.432) since the break, and entering Monday, he had a 129 wRC+ and just a 12.8% strikeout rate in that span.

And just in case Hoerner wasn't already feeling himself enough, he decided to invoke a rare power of his: a two-run home run in the ninth, which marked his first trip around the bases since April 21.

HAVE A NIGHT, NICO‼️ pic.twitter.com/qSwL6jffHW
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 28, 2026

The cherry on top was that it drove in Bregman, too. That made for eight hits between the two infield partners and a hugely positive day for each of them.

The Grass is Greener

Jul 21, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher David Peterson (19) delivers a pitch against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

David Peterson gave up 10 earned runs the last time he faced the Cardinals. That didn't faze him one bit on Monday.

Peterson had been sharp in his last two starts leading up to his taking the ball in the opener, and he continued that form with ease.

The left-hander spun 5.2 strong innings, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out three. He induced 24 ground-ball outs, which is very much the kind of pitcher he was chalked up to be when the Cubs acquired him from the New York Mets in late June.

Peterson has now put together a bit of a dominant three-start run, in which he's posted a 1.53 ERA and 0.87 WHIP in 17.2 innings.

Coming Up Next

The Cubs will send Colin Rea (7-7, 4.85 ERA) to the mound for Game 2 of the series on Tuesday, with the first pitch slated for 6:45 p.m. CT on Marquee Sports Network. The game will also be broadcast nationally on TBS for out-of-market watchers.

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