Chicago @ Los Angeles Game Overview

But that's what happened when Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong hit solo homers Friday night as the Chicago Cubs opened a three-game series in Anaheim, Calif., with a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels.

Tucker hit his 19th homer of the season and his first since July 19 in the first inning off starter Tyler Anderson to give Chicago a 1-0 lead on Friday. Crow-Armstrong broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the ninth with his 28th home run and first since July 23, off Kenley Jansen for the eventual game-winner.

"I think two guys who needed a big hit, and just getting them a contribution to a ‘W' on the offensive side, it makes everybody feel good," Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. "The game doesn't grant you any favors, and you get to keep coming out and trying to do it. These guys had the two biggest (hits) tonight, and it gets you a (win)."

"It's about time I stepped up in a situation like that," said Crow-Armstrong, who took another step toward a 30-30 season (he has 30 steals already). "It felt great. It's time to start putting up more runs and be a part of that."

Chicago remained seven games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central but holds the top wild-card spot in the league.

Right-hander Cade Horton (7-4, 3.08 ERA) will try to help the Cubs win the series on Saturday night when he faces Los Angeles for the first time in his career. He will oppose rookie right-hander Victor Mederos (0-1, 5.54), who will make just his third career start and his first appearance vs. the Cubs.

Since the All-Star break, Horton has allowed just two earned runs and 15 hits over 31 innings (0.58 ERA) while striking out 27 and walking 10.

Horton had to leave his start last Monday, a 7-0 loss to Milwaukee, in the third inning because of a blister on his right middle finger. He allowed one run -- a homer to Brice Turang -- on four hits while striking out three in 2 2/3 innings.

"It's really frustrating," Horton said. "Big series. Big game. And just the competitor in me wants to be out there and try to give my team a chance to win."

Mederos gave up three runs, including a two-run homer to Gavin Lux in the first inning, on nine hits over five innings in a 4-1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night. He walked three and struck out three.

"He's still a young guy," interim Angels manager Ray Montgomery said of Mederos after the game. "He's progressed from being quick to the big leagues in the bullpen, to now back in the big leagues as a starter. He gave us four good innings the other day, gave us five today. He battled through the ups and downs. He mixed and matched, he used his stuff."

The Angels got just three hits in Friday's opening loss, but two of them were homers by third baseman Yoan Moncada. It was his first multi-homer game since Sept. 8, 2022, when he played for the Chicago White Sox.

"Yo did a great job, and the home runs kept us right in there," Montgomery said. "We didn't have a lot of threats. ... We just didn't get it done tonight."

--Field Level Media