Watch: Cubs' Mike Tauchman saves game, robs Cardinals of walk-off home run in final at-bat

The Chicago Cubs are back above .500 for the first time since May. They have center fielder Mike Tauchman to thank for that.

Tauchman simultaneously saved the game and ended it with style as he robbed St. Louis Cardinals pinch hitter Alec Burleson of a walk-off, two-run home run on a ball hit around 400 feet off pitcher Adbert Alzolay.

According to ESPN Stats & Info, Tauchman's robbery of Burleson was the first on a would-be walk-off blast since 2021. Tauchman and his teammates were understandably fired up by the epic final out that preserved a 3-2 victory.

“Probably the most dramatic single play I’ve been a part of in the big leagues,” infielder Nico Hoerner said afterwards.

Said Cubs manager David Ross: "I haven’t got that excited in a long time. That was a lot of fun."

Tauchman entered the game in the ninth inning as a pinch hitter for Trey Mancini and recorded a single. He moved to center field for the bottom of the ninth with Cody Bellinger moving to first to take Mancini's place.

“As outfielders we’re taught to get to the wall and then you have time to make the adjustments you need to,” Tauchman said. “I didn’t know I was right at the wall until I kind of turned to catch the ball.”

Burleson said you sometimes just have to "tip your cap."

"I did everything I was supposed to do and it didn’t work out," Burleson said.

The Cubs are the hottest team in baseball, Tauchman's heroics lifting them to their seventh straight win. Chicago is now 52-51 and 3.5 games back in the wild card chase and 4.5 games back of the first-place Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central.

Contributing: Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cubs' Mike Tauchman ends game by robbing Cardinals of walk-off homer