3 Takeaways After Cubs Suzuki Blast and Holmes Masterpiece Leads to 3-0 Win

Nothing beats a 1:20 pm Friday afternoon game at Wrigley Field in August!

The Chicago Cubs (72-51) bested the St. Louis Cardinals (61-61) 3-0 Friday afternoon with all three runs coming off a Seiya Suzuki 3-run homer in the bottom of the 6th. Both Clay Holmes and Matt Liberatore had no-hitters going into the 5th inning, with Holmes picking up his first win as a Cub in front of a home crowd.

As things currently stand, the Cubs are 3.5 games back of the Brewers for 1st place in the NL Central. And while the Padres are surging, currently winners of five in a row, the Cubs hold a commanding 7-game lead for the top Wild Card spot.

Here's three takeaways from the Cubs fun 3-0 win over the Cardinals!

Suzuki continues to get big hits for the Cubs

Aug 14, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs designated hitter Seiya Suzuki (27) runs after hitting a double against the St. Louis Cardinals during the eight inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Seiya Suzuki was the difference for the Cubs, driving in the only runs of the game on the biggest hit of the game – a 3-run bomb to the left-field bleachers. The Cubs were no-hit until the inning prior by Matt Liberatore, who looked great this afternoon. But a leadoff walk from Tyrone Taylor and a single from Dansby Swanson created a runner-scoring chance.

Cardinals replaced Liberatore with the righty George Soriano to face Suzuki, who worked a 2-1 count before crushing a middle-inside changeup for his 21st home run of the season.

HIGH. DEEP. GONE. pic.twitter.com/LseU4b8oF2
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 14, 2026

A majestic no-doubter from Suzuki, who's been one of the best right-handed hitters in baseball not only this year but for the last three seasons now. As Mike Petriello of MLB.com points out in the tweet below, Suzuki is one of the 10 best right-handed hitters in the game right now.

Seiya Suzuki is such an underrated player. RHB last three seasons, he's top 10 -- and he's really improved his defense this season.https://t.co/Yxft1CYVTV pic.twitter.com/86KNRqrU4Y
— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) August 14, 2026

As a self-admitted Seiya-stan, I've always thought of him as one of the top power bats in baseball. But it's nice to see others start to notice how excellent a hitter Suzuki is! Add in that his defense has been among the best in right field this year, and Suzuki has a strong case as the most underrated player in baseball.

Clay Holmes is the Cubs X-Factor

Clay Holmes had his best start in a Cubs uniform and probably his best start of 2026 this afternoon, throwing 6.2 shutout innings with one hit and three K's. It was only his 11th start of the season and his second since returning from a fractured fibula, but it was a start that raised the Cubs' playoff hopes.

Sticking with this version of Holmes in front of Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, Kevin Gausman, and Edward Cabrera (who returns to the big league mound Sunday) could make the Cubs the favorites in the NL this fall. It was cool to see Holmes get a standing ovation from the Wrigley Field crowd as he exited in the 6th. The 33-year-old veteran acknowledged the moment in postgame after the win.

“That’s what you imagine … what you hope for when you put on a Cubs jersey … It’s special. It’s iconic. To do it with this team and these guys that have been just so great at welcoming me in was a lot of fun.”

Clay Holmes after making his Wrigley Field debut 👏 pic.twitter.com/btOHr3seov
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) August 14, 2026

How cool is that? Holmes is clearly enjoying being dropped into the heart of a postseason run after a grueling time with the Mets this season.

Holmes is a player who's appeared in four World Series games and has 20 innings of work in the postseason. In other words, He's a battle-tested weapon for the Cubs to lean on as the postseason approaches!

Cubs have got their swagger back

Winners in eight of their last ten series, the Cubs have steadily closed the gap between them and the Brewers, who have the best record in baseball with 75 wins. And along with their 18-9 second-half record, the Cubs have seen some huge turnarounds from guys like Alex Bregman and Nico Hoerner at the plate, both with OPS above .900 since the All-Star break.

With pitchers like Edward Cabrera and Ben Brown getting close to returning, it feels like the Cubs are building momentum at the exact right time. Even Craig Counsell has noticed his club's confidence, mentioning it during postgame this afternoon.

"I think we're playing with a lot of confidence, for sure. Swagger (and) confidence."

Craig Counsell after the Cubs' 3-0 win over the Cardinals today 🔥 pic.twitter.com/4kUMjyU4On
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) August 14, 2026

The Cubs have played great ball after their sweep of the Dodgers last week, so much so that it feels like the whole league has started to take them more seriously. A team playing this well and already adding pieces like Holmes and Gausman, it's easy to buy into this Cubs team going on a run.

The Cubs have another 1:20 pm game tomorrow. Matthew Boyd and Michael McGreevy will be on the mound as the Cubbies look for their ninth series win of the second half.

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