Given an opportunity to gain immediate ground on the Brewers -- who they came into their Aug. 31 series opener trailing by eight games in the NL Central -- the Cubs did not hold back.
With two outs in the bottom of the first, Tyrone Taylor and Nico Hoerner launched back-to-back home runs. Alex Bregman added a third in the bottom of the second. Two innings later, he and Seiya Suzuki combined for another back-to-back set. Despite an 8-0 lead, their point, evidently, had not been made. They took a short break before hitting another four home runs -- two in the seventh, two in the eighth, three of them against a position player -- bringing them to a total of nine on the evening. It probably goes without saying, but they did take home a win, by a score of 17-3.
Although it may be difficult to picture a lineup doing more damage, the Cubs' wild display actually fell just short of matching a record only achieved once in the Modern Era (since 1900). That said, they did join a short list of clubs to hit at least eight home runs in a nine-inning game. Theirs was the 37th eight-homer game (not including extra-innings games) and just the fifth nine-homer game (and, incredibly, the third since the beginning of the 2025 season.)
Here's a look at each of those nine-homer games -- and a quicker look at the list of clubs with eight.
1. 10 HR: Blue Jays vs. Orioles, Sept. 18, 1987
HR: Ernie Whitt (3), George Bell (2), Rance Mulliniks (2), Fred McGriff, Lloyd Moseby, Rob Ducey
Four teams have come close, but none have matched the 10 homers hit on this day by the Blue Jays. This was a remarkable collection of home runs, with six different players hitting a homer, one player (Whitt) hitting three and a pair of others (Bell and Mulliniks) hitting two apiece. Enough teams have come close recently to reaching 10 homers in a game but for now, the 1987 Blue Jays stand alone.
2-T. 9 HR: Cubs vs. Brewers, Aug. 31, 2026
HR: Alex Bregman (3), Michael Conforto, Nico Hoerner, Carson Kelly, Matt Shaw, Seiya Suzuki, Tyrone Taylor
The ‘26 Cubs certainly came close to reaching 10 home runs on an unforgettable night at Wrigley Field. Against their division-rival Brewers, the Cubbies crushed nine homers in a 17-3 win over Milwaukee. Bregman hit three home runs for the second time in the month of August and was joined by six other Cubs that each hit solo homers.
2-T. 9 HR: Yankees vs. Brewers, March 29, 2025
HR: Aaron Judge (3), Cody Bellinger, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Paul Goldschmidt, Oswald Peraza, Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells
The 2025 Yankees hit nine homers in a game not once but TWICE. In New York’s second game of the season, the Yankees immediately got the home run party started with three straight homers from Goldschmidt, Bellinger and Judge in the first inning against former Yankee Nestor Cortes. The Yanks didn’t slow down from there and saw Judge hit two more home runs in a resounding 20-9 win.
2-T. 9 HR: Yankees at Rays, Aug. 19, 2025
HR: Cody Bellinger (2), José Caballero (2), Giancarlo Stanton (2), Jazz Chisholm Jr., Aaron Judge, Ben Rice
The ‘25 Yankees’ second game with nine home runs was a bit jarring given the circumstances. They did so at their Spring Training home of George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa Bay, where the Rays played home games in the ‘25 season due to Tropicana Field’s damage from Hurricane Milton. Bellinger, Caballero and Stanton each hit two home runs and three others hit solo homers.
2-T. 9 HR: Reds at Phillies, Sept. 4, 1999
HR: Ed Taubensee (2), Aaron Boone, Brian Johnson, Jeffrey Hammonds, Mark Lewis, Pokey Reese, Dmitri Young, Greg Vaughn
This was a thoroughly dominating 22-3 win from the Reds, who saw eight different Cincy hitters leave the yard. Keeping with the theme of a balanced home run attack, the Reds hit homers in seven of the nine innings. Leading the way was backstop Ed Taubensee, who hit two home runs and recorded four hits. You'll also notice that Boone, who managed the Yankees teams listed above, also homered in this game.
8-HOMER GAMES
July 1, 2026: Cubs vs. Padres, 23-3
Sept. 24, 2025: Phillies vs. Marlins, 11-1
July 4, 2025: Cubs vs. Cardinals, 11-3
July 14, 2024: Athletics at Phillies, 18-3
July 10, 2021: Dodgers vs. D-backs, 22-1
June 13, 2021: Blue Jays at Red Sox, 18-4
Aug. 18, 2019: Nationals vs. Brewers, 16-8
June 10, 2019: D-backs at Phillies, 13-8
May 23, 2019: Twins at Angels, 16-7
April 20, 2019: Twins at Orioles, 16-7
March 28, 2019: Dodgers vs. D-backs, 12-5
July 27, 2017: Nationals vs. Brewers, 15-2
Aug. 24, 2015: Mets at Phillies, 16-7
June 16, 2015: Orioles vs. Phillies, 19-3
Sept. 4, 2013: Red Sox vs. Tigers, 20-4
Aug. 7, 2010: Blue Jays vs. Rays, 17-11
July 31, 2007: Yankees vs. White Sox, 16-3
June 18, 2006: Tigers at Cubs, 12-3
June 30, 2005: Rangers vs. Angels, 18-5
June 21, 2005: Rangers vs. Astros, 18-3
July 26, 2004: Indians at Mariners, 18-6
May 23, 2002: Dodgers at Brewers, 16-3
June 20, 2000: Tigers at Blue Jays, 18-6
April 25, 1997: Indians at Brewers, 11-4
June 27, 1996: Athletics at Angels, 18-2
July 30, 1978: Expos at Braves, 19-0
July 4, 1977: Red Sox vs. Blue Jays, 9-6
Aug. 29, 1963: Twins at Senators, 14-2
April 30, 1961: Giants at Braves, 14-4
Aug. 18, 1956: Reds vs. Braves, 13-4
Aug. 30, 1953: Braves at Pirates, 19-4
June 28, 1939: Yankees at Athletics, 23-2