Boyd allowed one run over seven innings as the Cubs beat the Marlins 2-1 on Sept. 24. Seiya Suzuki's fifth-inning homer tied it, and Ian Happ's sixth-inning triple set up Nico Hoerner's go-ahead run; relievers Daniel Palencia and Ryan Zeferjahn helped preserve the lead.
Across the three-game series, Chicago scored exactly two runs in each game, while its pitching staff held Miami to five runs over 27 regulation innings.
Chicago's record stood at 88-71. At the time of writing, the Phillies were one game behind, with the Cubs holding the tiebreaker; the article put Chicago's magic number against Philadelphia at two and San Diego's at four, with the Padres' game still underway. The Cubs were set to travel to Boston for a Friday doubleheader against the Red Sox, who had secured the AL's second wild-card spot.
