Chicago Cubs Shut Out Brewers to Force Game 5
CHICAGO — Matthew Boyd delivered a stellar performance, pitching five innings with just two hits allowed, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 6-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday night. This victory ensured a decisive Game 5 in the National League Division Series.
I mean, the energy at Wrigley Field was something else, with 41,770 fans cheering as Ian Happ, Kyle Tucker, and Michael Busch hit home runs for the Cubs. Busch, in particular, seemed to find his rhythm, hitting a home run for the second game in a row and marking his third of the series.
It’s worth noting that the Cubs had entered this game on the brink of elimination after losing the first two games of the NLDS in Milwaukee. But they managed to turn things around, thanks to strong performances from Boyd and four relief pitchers, as they won Game 4 just the day before.
The series now heads to Milwaukee for the final game on Saturday night. The winner will move on to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.
Despite having the best record in the majors this season, the Brewers struggled offensively, only allowing three hits in this game. In their two games at Wrigley, they had a disappointing record of one hit in 13 at-bats with runners in scoring position, leaving 13 men on base.
Boyd also started the first game of the series. Freddy Peralta pitched through the sixth inning, though he had to do so on short rest, only managing two outs during the Brewers’ Game 1 win.
Boyd, who is 34, rose to the occasion again, delivering another solid outing. He pitched 4 2/3 innings with six strikeouts and three walks. The Cubs quickly took charge, with Happ hitting a three-run homer in the first inning. Nico Hoerner had a single, and Tucker also contributed to the scoring.
Interestingly, the Cubs took the lead in all four games of the NLDS so far, with 11 of their 16 points in the series coming in the first inning.
This was a significant moment for Happ, who had been struggling with a 2-for-21 performance and racking up 11 strikeouts in the first six postseason games. When Boyd was ejected in the fifth inning with runners on second and third, the crowd gave him a rousing ovation as the Cubs maintained their 3-0 lead.
Daniel Palencia came on to retire Jackson Cholio with a pop-out, ending that inning. Palencia also played a role in securing the Cubs’ third playoff win.
Drew Pomerantz and Brad Keller each contributed three outs, while Caleb Thielber covered nine outs in relief.
Chicago had a chance to add more runs in the fifth inning but couldn’t capitalize. However, rookie third baseman Matt Shaw got an RBI single in the sixth after a tough start to his postseason. Tucker blasted a leadoff home run in the seventh against Robert Gasser, followed by Busch’s eighth-inning homer, marking Busch’s fourth home run in this postseason.
