MILWAUKEE — Brewers Clinch Series Against Cubs
Andrew Vaughn hit a game-tying home run in the fourth inning, while William Contreras and Bryce Turan contributed with hits, leading the Milwaukee Brewers to a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs in the deciding Game 5 of the National League Division Series on Saturday. This win was a relief for the Brewers, considering their recent playoff history.
This marked the Brewers’ seventh playoff appearance in eight years, and it was their first postseason series win since they beat Colorado in the 2018 NLDS. That year, they almost made it to the World Series but fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series.
Next up, the Brewers will face the defending World Series champion Dodgers, who triumphed over the Philadelphia Phillies in four games in the other NL Division Series. Game 1 is set for Monday in Milwaukee, with the Brewers aiming for their first pennant since 1982.
“A lot of people didn’t believe in them early on, but they continued to be relentless,” said Brewers manager Pat Murphy.
Despite losing key players like shortstop Willie Adames to free agency and trading away All-Star closer Devin Williams last winter, Milwaukee finished the regular season at the top with a 97-65 record.
So, it seemed fitting that the Brewers won their final game against the wild-card Cubs using a solid pitching strategy. Trevor Megill, Jacob Misiorowski, Aaron Ashby, Chad Patrick, and Abner Uribe took the mound, with Uribe achieving a multi-inning save for the first time in his career.
“You could call them average Joes, but I would say they’re above-average Joes,” Murphy remarked.
This victory was particularly satisfying for Milwaukee fans. Defeating the Cubs—Milwaukee’s biggest rival—added to the joy, especially since it meant Cubs manager Craig Counsell was eliminated from the playoffs. Counsell, who grew up in the Milwaukee area and played for the Brewers, became the team’s winningest manager before moving to Chicago.
Since Counsell’s departure, fans have booed when his name comes up, and they did so again on Saturday. Interestingly, the sold-out crowd seemed to include more Cubs supporters compared to Milwaukee’s home wins earlier in the series.
“I’m really happy for them,” commented longtime Brewers star Christian Yelich. “They’ve stuck by us through some tough losses. I know this series meant a lot to them because of the rivalry.”
The Cubs had forced a Game 5 with two consecutive wins at Wrigley Field, aiming to become the 11th team to overturn a 2-0 playoff series deficit. The last time this occurred was in the 2017 ALDS.
“I’m disappointed. It’s sad,” a Cubs player expressed. “This team deserves more recognition.”
Home runs were the highlight as both teams settled into a tight contest. Contreras knocked a 389-foot home run in the first inning off Drew Pomerantz. Vaughn later took a 3-2 pitch from Colin Ray over the left-field wall, putting the Brewers ahead. Turan secured the win with a 416-foot drive to center off Andrew Kittredge in the seventh inning.
“We fight back. That’s our mentality,” Vaughn said. “I’m going to throw it right back.”
In the second inning, Chicago’s Seiya Suzuki hit a fastball into the Cubs’ bullpen, but that was the only run rookie right-hander Misiorowski allowed for the next four innings. He earned his second win of the series with three strikeouts and no walks.
For the Brewers, Megill was instrumental as the starting pitcher. Milwaukee had previously held the Cubs to just 11 points across the first four games but found themselves unable to score after Suzuki’s homer.
“We didn’t do much. We had six runners,” Counsell noted about the team’s performance. “They pitched really well, and that’s part of why they won so many games.”
Chicago’s biggest opportunity came when they scored two runs in the sixth inning in Game 4, but the execution fell short this time around.
“We didn’t get it done today, and that hurt,” Counsell reflected. “But if you step back, we did some good things, too.”
