CHICAGO (AP) — Pete Crow-Armstrong tripled, doubled and scored two runs, and the Chicago Cubs completed a three-game sweep of the crosstown White Sox at Wrigley Field with a 6-2 victory on Sunday.
Nico Hoerner doubled twice and had an RBI as the Cubs extended their franchise-record winning streak against the South Siders to eight games. Seiya Suzuki drove in two runs, and Michael Busch and Vidal Brujan each had two hits and an RBI.
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Chicago White Sox's Miguel Vargas celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong reacts after scoring on a sacrifice fly by Seiya Suzuki, of Japan, during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago White Sox's Chase Meidroth reacts after he was tagged out by Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Cubs' Vidal Bruján, bottom, scores on a one-run double by Pete Crow-Armstrong past Chicago White Sox catcher Edgar Quero, right, during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong runs after hitting a one-run double during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
The NL Central-leading Cubs improved to 75-74 in the series and handed a fourth straight defeat to the White Sox, who are last in the AL Central.
Miguel Vargas his his third homer of the series for the White Sox, taking Colin Rea deep to left-center in the fourth inning. Drew Pomeranz (1-0) relieved Ray with one out in the sixth and finished the frame.
Jonathan Cannon (2-5) allowed four runs, three earned, in five-plus innings. Cannon retired 13 straight before Brujan singled in the sixth, when the Cubs scored three times to take a 4-1 lead.
Brujan raced home with the go-ahead run in the sixth on a play that withstood a video review.
After Crow-Armstrong doubled down the right-field line, Brujan beat shortstop Chase Meidroth’s throw to the plate to make it 2-1. Kyle Tucker reached second on Brooks Baldwin's dropped fly, and then Suzuki’s sacrifice fly and Busch’s RBI single made it 4-1.
Crow-Armstrong is 11 for his last 21, raising his average to .290. He’s reached base in 15 straight games.
RHP Davis Martin (2-4, 3.65 ERA) faces Seattle RHP Luis Castillo (3-3, 3.65) when the White Sox return to the South Side on Monday.
Cubs RHP Ben Brown (3-3, 4.75) faces Marlins RHP Edward Cabrera (0-1, 5.52) at Miami on Monday.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Chicago White Sox's Miguel Vargas celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong reacts after scoring on a sacrifice fly by Seiya Suzuki, of Japan, during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago White Sox's Chase Meidroth reacts after he was tagged out by Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Cubs' Vidal Bruján, bottom, scores on a one-run double by Pete Crow-Armstrong past Chicago White Sox catcher Edgar Quero, right, during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong runs after hitting a one-run double during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Lamar Jackson thought it was over. That the Baltimore Ravens' unwieldy season would end up in a familiar spot: the playoffs.
Then, rookie kicker Tyler Loop's potential game-winning field goal from 44 yards out drifted a little right. And then a little further right. And then a little further right still.
By the time it fluttered well wide of the goalposts, the playoffs were gone. So was Jackson's certainty after a 26-24 loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday night sent the Ravens into what could be a turbulent offseason.
“I'm definitely stunned, man,” Jackson said. “I thought we had it in the bag. ... I don't know what else we can do.”
Jackson, who never really seemed fully healthy during his eighth season as he battled one thing after another, did his part. The two-time NFL MVP passed for 238 yards and three touchdowns, including two long connections with Zay Flowers in the fourth quarter that put the Ravens (8-9) in front.
It just wasn't enough. Baltimore's defense, which played most of the second half without star safety Kyle Hamilton after Hamilton entered the concussion protocol, wilted against 42-year-old Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers passed for a season-high 294 yards, including a 26-yard flip to a wide-open Calvin Austin with 55 seconds to go after a defender slipped, symbolic of a season in which Baltimore's defense only occasionally found its form.
Still, the Ravens had a chance when Jackson found Isaiah Likely for a 28-yard gain on fourth down from midfield. A couple of snaps later, the 24-year-old Loop walked on to try to lift Baltimore to its third straight division title.
Instead, the rookie said he “mishit” it. Whatever it was, it never threatened to sneak between the goalposts.
“It’s disappointing,” Loop said.
Loop was talking about the game. He might as well have been talking about his team's season.
The Ravens began 1-5 as Jackson dealt with injuries and the defense struggled to get stops. Baltimore found a way to briefly tie the Steelers for first in late November, only to then split its next four games, including a home loss to Pittsburgh.
Still, when Jackson and the Ravens walked onto the Acrisure Stadium turf on Sunday night in the 272nd and final game of the NFL regular season, Baltimore was confident. The Ravens drilled Pittsburgh in the opening round of the playoffs a year ago behind the ever-churning legs of running back Derrick Henry.
When Henry ripped off a gain of 40-plus yards on the game's first offensive snap, it looked like it was going to be more of the same. While Henry did rush for 126 yards and joined Hall of Famer Barry Sanders as the only running backs in NFL history to have five 1,500-yard seasons, he was less effective in the second half.
Even that first run was telling of what night it was going to be, as an illegal block by wide receiver Zay Flowers cost Baltimore some field position. The Ravens ended up scoring on the drive anyway, thanks to a 38-yard fourth-down flip from Jackson to a wide-open Devontez Walker, but it started a pattern that was hard to shake as several steps forward were met with one step back on a night the Ravens finished with nine penalties for 78 yards.
“We were having a lot of penalties, which kept stopping drives," Jackson said. “But I'm proud of my guys because we kept overcoming. We kept overcoming adversity and situations like this. Divisional games (can) be like that sometimes.”
Particularly when the Steelers are on the other side of the line of scrimmage. Pittsburgh has won 10 of the last 13 meetings. And while a handful of them have been in late-season matchups with the Ravens already assured of reaching the playoffs, the reality is the Steelers have been able to regularly do something that most others have not: found a way to beat Jackson.
“It comes down to situations like this,” Jackson said. “Two-point conversion one year. Field goal another year. And again this year. Just got to find a way to get that win here.”
And figure out who is going to be around to help get it.
Head coach John Harbaugh's 18th season in Baltimore ended with the Ravens missing the playoffs for just the second time in eight years. Jackson turns 29 this week and is still one of the most electric players in the league.
Yet Harbaugh and Jackson have yet to find a way to have that breakthrough season that Harbaugh enjoyed with Joe Flacco in 2013 when the Ravens won the Super Bowl.
There was hope when the season began that the roadblocks that have long been in the franchise's way — Kansas City and Patrick Mahomes chief among them — would be gone.
While the Ravens did get their way in a sense — the Chiefs will watch the playoffs from afar for the first time in a decade after a nightmarish season of their own — it never all came together.
Jackson declined to endorse Harbaugh returning for a 19th season, saying the loss was still too fresh to zoom out on what it might mean for the franchise going forward.
Harbaugh, for his part, certainly seems up for running it back in the fall.
“I love these guys,” he said afterward. “I love these guys.”
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, right, hands the ball off to running back Derrick Henry (22) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh talks with an offical during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, left, greets Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) after an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Steelers safety Jabrill Peppers (40) reacts after Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop (33) missed a field goal attempt in the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
