Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong loses fly ball in painful scene — before playing hero

Pete Crow-Armstrong had an up-and-down night Thursday for the Cubs.

In the top of the sixth inning, Crow-Armstrong appeared to lose a ball hit to center field in the lights.

The A’s Shea Langeliers hit a ball 358 feet to center field that landed well behind Crow-Armstrong, an inside-the-park home run that extended their lead to 4-0.

Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong can’t make the play on a two-run inside-the-park home run by Athletics’ Shea Langeliers during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Thursday, June 4, 2026. AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

The moment went viral as Crow-Armstrong stood helplessly with his hands up as the ball fell behind him.

It’s not the first time Crow-Armstrong had had a blunder defensively.

In May, Crow-Armstrong allowed an inside-the-park home run against Milwaukee after his whiff on a line drive.

Fortunately for him and the Cubs, Crow-Armstrong’s luck began to turn in the bottom half of the inning.

He hit a home run of his own 383 feet to right field to get the Cubs on the scoreboard.

It was his ninth home run of the season.

Chicago Cubs’ Daniel Palencia, left, dumps Gatorade and water on Pete Crow-Armstrong after the Cubs defeated the Athletics in a baseball game in Chicago, Thursday, June 4, 2026. AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

The rally continued and in the ninth inning, Crow-Armstrong played hero and walked it off for the Cubs at Wrigley with an RBI single.

He drove home Seiya Suzuki to make the final score 7-6 Cubs, avoiding a three-game sweep by the Athletics.

He finished the night 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs.

“We’ve stayed in the fight all year,” Crow-Armstrong told reporters postgame. “We’ve been fighting through these last couple of weeks. This kind of stuff is exactly what we are capable of.”

Crow-Armstrong and his Cubs now begin a weekend series with San Francisco.

Heading into play Friday, the Cubs are 33-30, good for fourth place in a strong NL Central.