CHICAGO — For baseball fans in Delavan, there may be no rivalry that divides loyalties quite like Cubs versus Cardinals. Families, friends and neighbors often find themselves on opposite sides whenever the longtime National League rivals meet. On Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field, Cubs fans in Delavan had the bragging rights as Chicago defeated St. Louis 3-0 behind strong pitching and a clutch home run from Seiya Suzuki.

In a game dominated by pitching and defense, scoring chances were rare for both clubs through the first five innings. Cubs starter Clay Holmes set the tone early, retiring the Cardinals in order in the first inning and keeping St. Louis hitters off balance throughout his outing.

The Cardinals threatened only sparingly against Chicago’s pitching staff. Jordan Walker and Nathan Church each recorded early fly-ball outs, while Holmes struck out Masyn Winn in the second inning and continued to work efficiently through the middle frames. St. Louis managed just a handful of baserunners through the first six innings and never advanced a runner into scoring position during that stretch.

Cardinals starter Matthew Liberatore was equally effective early. He struck out Carson Kelly in the second and worked around a Nico Hoerner single in the fifth to keep the game scoreless. Liberatore and Holmes matched each other inning for inning as the classic rivalry contest developed into a tense pitchers’ duel.

The game’s decisive moment arrived in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Tyrone Taylor opened the frame by drawing a walk and then stole second base. After Dansby Swanson lined a single into center field, Taylor moved to third and the Cubs suddenly had runners at the corners with one out. St. Louis turned to reliever George Soriano in an effort to escape the jam.

Instead, Suzuki delivered the knockout blow.

The Cubs right fielder launched a fly ball to left-center field that cleared the fence for a three-run homer, his 21st home run of the season. The blast scored Taylor and Swanson and gave Chicago a 3-0 lead.

What had been a scoreless duel instantly became a three-run advantage for the home team, and that margin proved more than enough.

Chicago’s defense helped preserve the shutout. Swanson made several key plays at shortstop, including a sliding stop in the eighth inning that helped erase a potential Cardinals rally. Hoerner also contributed defensively and added a stolen base earlier in the game.

St. Louis attempted to mount a comeback in the eighth. Bryan Torres singled and José Fermín later drew a walk, putting two runners aboard with one out. However, reliever Ryan Zeferjahn responded by striking out Winn and inducing a flyout from César Prieto to end the threat.

The Cardinals generated one final opportunity in the ninth when Iván Herrera singled with one out. A force play erased Herrera at second, and Walker struck out swinging for the inning’s second out. Alec Burleson advanced on defensive indifference, but Nathan Church lined out to Hoerner at second base to close out the game.

Chicago’s bullpen was outstanding in relief of Holmes. Ryan Rolison, Zeferjahn and Jacob Webb combined to finish the shutout, limiting St. Louis to only a few scattered hits and preventing any serious late-game damage.

The Cardinals managed singles from Herrera, Fermín and Torres but struggled to string together offense against Cubs pitching. Walker reached on a walk and Burleson added a hit, but St. Louis never found the timely hit it needed.

For Chicago, Suzuki’s home run accounted for all three runs. Swanson finished with a key single and stole a base, while Taylor’s walk, stolen base, and hustle on the bases helped set the stage for the game-changing swing.

For Delavan baseball fans, Friday’s game offered another memorable chapter in one of the sport’s most enduring rivalries. Whether supporters were wearing Cubs blue or Cardinals red, the matchup once again delivered the intensity and emotion that have defined the series for generations.

This time, however, the Cubs came out on top, earning a 3-0 victory at Wrigley Field and giving their side of the Delavan rivalry plenty to celebrate heading into the weekend.