Game Recap: Kelly hits for cycle as Cubs crush A's

Sergio Estrada - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - Tuesday, April 01 2025

SACRAMENTO - It was a historic night in more ways than one for the Chicago Cubs (3-4) on Monday. Not only were they facing the Sacramento Athletics (2-3) for the first time since relocating to Sacramento, but Monday marked the first time a Major League Baseball game would be played at Sutter Health Park, the Sacramento River Cats' home.

As odd as that is, fans will likely become accustomed to seeing it over the next few years as the Athletics continue to navigate the complexities of their proposed Las Vegas relocation. For the 19th time in their franchise's history and the seventh time since 2000, the Cubs had the privilege of playing an inaugural game in a new park.

What better way to christen a new building than by pounding out 18 runs on 21 hits and watching catcher Carson Kelly hit for the cycle in what was an 18-3 thumping? Fifteen of those 18 runs came in three innings, including back-to-back innings where the Cubs picked up five and six runs.

Ben Brown was on the mound for the second time this season, but after winning the fifth starter job in spring training, he was making his first start of 2025. For the most part, Brown did what the Cubs asked him to do, giving the Cubs five innings of three-run ball while walking two and striking out five. Given his offensive support, this was an extremely light night for the Cubs pen as Julian Merryweather made his first appearance of 2025 with a scoreless sixth before Colin Rea closed things out with a three-inning save.

Coming off the way the Cubs lost on Sunday, it was pivotal for them not only to leave that game behind but also to get off to a fast start against Joey Estes. Not only did they do that, but the Cubs pushed across four first-inning runs to open a 4-0 lead and never looked back, as those four runs would be all they would need. While Seiya Suzuki opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly, it was the long ball that broke the game open, as Michael Busch (2R, HR) and Dansby Swanson (Solo HR) went back-to-back to put the Cubs in front, 4-0.

The long ball played a massive role in both teams' early offense, with Jacob Wilson leading off the bottom of the third with a solo shot to put the Athletics on the board, only to have Kelly answer with a solo shot in the fourth for his first of four hits on the night. As strange as it is playing in a Minor League park, one thing that neither team accounted for was just how well the ball would carry, which the Cubs found out in the bottom of the fourth.

After retiring the first hitter he faced in the fourth, Brown allowed back-to-back singles to Miguel Andujar and Gio Urshela before an RBI double from Max Muncy pulled the Athletics within 5-2. They would tack on an additional run off the Wilson grounder to make this a 5-3 game, but that would be it for their offense as the Cubs were about to take complete control.

It was in the fifth and sixth innings that the Cubs' offense put the game away, erupting for 11 runs over these two innings, with five runs coming in the fifth. Nico Hoerner opened the multi-inning scoring barrage with a single before advancing to third on the Pete Crow-Armstrong double. Following a Matt Shaw walk to load the bases, Kelly came through once again, his two-RBI single putting the Cubs in front 7-3.

That was only the beginning for the Cubs and their offense, as Kyle Tucker tacked on an RBI forceout for the third run of the inning, before a two-run single from Busch pushed the Cubs' lead to 10-3. Chicago was just getting started, responding to a massive fifth inning by putting together an even bigger sixth inning and adding six more runs.

Kelly kept his massive night going with a leadoff double to start things off before coming home on a Tucker ground rule double. After a Suzuki walk and a Busch hit by pitch loaded the bases, Swanson came through with a clutch RBI double to push across two more runs and extended the lead to 13-3. The Cubs continued to go station to station, with Hoerner and Crow-Armstrong adding a pair of RBI singles before a bases-loaded walk to Kelly brought home the final run of the inning, with the Cubs leading 16-3.

That was Kelly's second walk of the night to go with his four hits as he reached base six times and became the first Cub since Mark Grace in 1993 to hit for the cycle.

Carson Cycle Kelly. pic.twitter.com/NWJMNJeWUj
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 1, 2025

With the game well in hand late, the Cubs watched Kelly close out the Cycle by racing around the bases for an RBI triple, while Tucker connected for his third homer in as many days as the Cubs took care of the Athletics 18-3.

Kyle Tucker - Chicago Cubs (3) pic.twitter.com/DoFkxJDOZt
— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) April 1, 2025

While Kelly was the big story with his four-hit, five-RBI cycle, several other Cubs put together massive games, including Busch, who hit his first home run of the season while adding four RBIs. Swanson and Tucker also had three RBI games, with Tucker picking up four hits himself. Ian Happ was the only hitter without a hit, but he did manage to work a pair of walks. The Cubs hope their trend of scoring a lot of runs one day, followed by minimal runs the next, doesn't continue as they face a tough matchup with Luis Severino on Tuesday, who will be pitching against Justin Steele.