Suzuki victimized Pirates’ southpaw Andrew Heaney for his 379-foot (103.6 mph EV) solo shot in the sixth inning, extending the Cubs’ advantage to 3-0. It would prove to be the difference in the ballgame. He’s having an outstanding season in the middle of the Cubs’ lineup, slashing .266/.325/.548 with 17 homers, 67 RBI and a pair of stolen bases.

Here’s an odd one: the Cubs scored six runs today without ever taking an at-bat with a man in scoring position. Besides the homers from Suzuki, Michael Busch, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Matt Shaw, they had just three other players reach. One scored on Busch’s blast, and the other two were stranded at first. Suzuki’s homers were projected at 376 and 395 feet, and he also had a 108-mph lineout that went 350 feet. It’s his sixth career two-homer game. Three of those have come this year.

Except for maybe Fenway, Will Benson would have had zero issue catching Suzuki’s fly in any other ballpark. However, with no foul territory in Wrigley, he was unwilling to challenge the wall, and the ball dropped just fair, giving Suzuki a big hit on a fly with a .010 xBA. It was Suzuki’s 52nd RBI of the year, moving him into a tie with Rafael Devers for most in the majors.

Suzuki had been mired in a pretty bad slump to start the season, but he now has hits in nine of his last 10 games and has gone 15-for-39 over that stretch with four home runs and 15 RBI. He’ll be just fine.