The Cubs, who trailed 6-1 after five innings, mounted a determined rally. Matt Shaw doubled home Dansby Swanson in the fifth, then Swanson delivered a two-run double in the sixth to close the gap. Kelly’s 14th home run of the season, coming on a 3-2 curveball from Pierce Johnson, brought the score even at 6-6.
Michael Harris II was the standout for Atlanta, driving in four runs with a two-run single in the third and a two-run double in the fifth. Harris has been red-hot since the All-Star break, batting .335 with 11 homers and 33 RBIs in his last 43 games.
Ian Happ led the Cubs’ offense with three hits, including his 19th homer. Swanson finished with two RBIs, and Seiya Suzuki started the 10th inning on second base as the automatic runner. After advancing on Nico Hoerner’s groundout, Suzuki scored the winning run on Kelly’s line drive to left off John Brebbia.
Andrew Kittredge pitched a perfect 10th for Chicago to earn the win. The Cubs are now 23-45 when their opponent scores first, showing resilience in tight games.
Atlanta’s Joey Wentz (5-4, 4.92 ERA) is set to face Chicago’s left-hander Shota Imanaga (8-6, 3.08 ERA) in the next game of the series.
The win was a highlight for the Cubs in front of 39,673 fans, underscoring their ability to rally late and deliver under pressure. For more details and live coverage, visit the Braves vs. Cubs (Sep 1, 2025) Live Score page on ESPN.