Looking Back On Cubs' Wild 2023 Comeback Against Mariners

After the second inning, the game looked like one to turn off and forget, but the boys in blue had fight in them and turned it into a memorable game for plenty of Cubs fans. 

Headed to the bottom of the third inning, the Cubs trailed 7-1, and it felt like it was going to be one of those turn it off and go to bed early type of nights for fans of the North Siders.

Dansby Swanson started the bottom half of the third inning with a single. Ian Happ popped out, and then Mancini launched his first home run as a Cub to cut the Mariners' lead to 7-3.

The next four Cubs would reach base, including an RBI single from Hosmer to make it a 7-4 game. That set the stage for Nelson Velazquez to step up to the plate with the bases loaded, and what happened next would be etched into the minds of Cubs fans for years to come.

Velazquez launched a 396-foot grand slam to left center to give the Cubs an 8-7 lead and send Wrigley Field into an absolute frenzy. The homer for Velazquez was his first of the season, and it helped bring Chicago out of an early 7-0 hole.

The grand slam was part of Velazquez's three-hit and four RBI night. It was undoubtedly his best game as a Cub, and he was later traded to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for right-handed reliever Jose Cuas.

Chicago scored six more runs throughout the remainder of the game and won by a final score of 14-8. This was a fun early-season moment for the Cubs in 2023; fans will certainly remember it for the foreseeable future.

Are you interested in Cubs history? Then check out the Chicago Cubs Players Project, a community-driven project to discover and collect great information on every player to wear a Cubs uniform!