The Chicago Cubs kicked off their three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians with a decisive 4-2 victory at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. The win marked a crucial start for the Cubs, who entered the game leading the National League Central, while the Guardians looked to snap a four-game losing streak, struggling in the American League Central.
The Cubs wasted no time establishing their presence, taking an early lead in the second inning. Michael Busch singled to left field, bringing home Pete Crow-Armstrong, who had reached base earlier. Shortly after, Carson Kelly doubled to left, scoring both Busch and Dansby Swanson, who advanced on a throwing error by Guardians second baseman Gabriel Arias. This sequence gave Chicago a comfortable 3-0 advantage. The Guardians, however, showed resilience in the fourth inning. Jones singled to center, allowing Carlos Santana to score, and Ramón Laureano followed with a sacrifice fly to right, bringing Thomas home, narrowing the deficit to 3-2. The Cubs extended their lead in the sixth inning when Seiya Suzuki launched a 378-foot solo home run to left-center, pushing the score to 4-2, a lead they would not relinquish. (ESPN, Beacon Journal)
Cubs’ left-hander Matthew Boyd delivered a strong performance on the mound, earning his seventh win of the season. Boyd (7-3, 2.65 ERA) pitched 7.0 innings, allowing only two runs on five hits, with one walk and five strikeouts. His consistent outing was a key factor in the Cubs’ victory. For the Guardians, right-hander Gavin Williams (5-3, 3.68 ERA) took the loss. Despite pitching effectively through the early innings, he was tagged for four runs on seven hits over 5.0 innings, walking one and striking out eight. Williams notably tagged out Cubs catcher Carson Kelly at home plate in the second inning to prevent further damage. (ESPN, Sportsbook Wire)
With this win, the Chicago Cubs improved their season record to 49-35, maintaining their lead in the NL Central standings. Their impressive home record at Wrigley Field now stands at 25-15. The Cleveland Guardians, meanwhile, fell to 40-43, extending their losing streak to five games and further widening their gap behind the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central. Cleveland’s offense has been a point of concern, averaging just 2.82 runs per game since June 5. (ESPN)
Both teams are navigating significant injury lists as the season progresses. The Guardians are currently without key players such as Trevor Stephan, Paul Sewald, Tanner Burns, Gabriel Arias, and Shane Bieber, all sidelined with various injuries. The Cubs also have several players on the injured list, including Brandon Birdsell, Eli Morgan, Miguel Amaya, Javier Assad, and Ben Heller. (ESPN)
Pre-game analyses from various sports betting outlets, including SportsbookWire and SportsLine, had largely favored the Cubs for this matchup, aligning with the eventual outcome. SportsbookWire predicted a 6-4 Cubs victory, while SportsLine’s projection model anticipated a 4.9-3.5 score in favor of Chicago. The series continues with Game 2 on Wednesday, July 2, broadcast on ESPN, followed by the final game on Thursday, July 3, aired on MLB Network. (Sportsbook Wire, CBS Sports)
