MILWAUKEE, Wis. (WFRV) – The Milwaukee Brewers are four wins away from the National League Pennant, after they eliminated their hated rivals 90 miles to the south with a 3-1 win in Game 5 of the National League Divisional Series.
The Chicago Cubs came into the winner-take-all with most of the momentum after tying the series at two games apiece on Thursday night, coming back from a 2-0 series deficit from a pair of Brewers onslaughts in Games 1 and 2.
(AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)
Both teams started out of the bullpen, with the Brewers sending right-hander Trevor Megill to the mound and the Cubs putting lefty Drew Pomeranz on the bump as each ballclub sought a more atypical approach to the must-win game.
The Brewers started well on the mound, as Megill sat Chicago down in order to start the game, the first time all series that Milwaukee didn’t allow a single baserunner, or run in the first inning.
Catcher William Contreras gave the home fans more to cheer about, with a two-out 389-foot home run, conveniently caught by Milwaukee’s bullpen catcher as the Brewers took a 1-0 lead.
(AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)
Megill did what he had to, and then it was on to rookie flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski, who took the mound for Milwaukee in the 2nd inning. Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki immediately tied it up, with a 390-foot solo shot to right field to lead off the 2nd.
Chicago also made a quick pitching change, putting in right-hander Colin Rea relieve Pomeranza of his duties to start the bottom of the 2nd inning. Rea kept the Brewers off the board, and sent the game to the 3rd inning with the score at 1-1.
(AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Misiorowski continued to settle in with another scoreless inning, this time putting the Cubs bats down in order with a pair of flyouts and a strikeout. First baseman Andrew Vaughn roped a 383-foot home run to left field to give the Brewers a 2-1 lead, who then loaded the bases, and Cubs right-hander Daniel Palencia entered the game and ended the inning.
The young Misiorowski stayed in the game, retiring his seventh consecutive batter as the rookie continued to lock in after giving up the home run to Suzuki in the 2nd inning, while Palencia held the score at 2-1 en route to the 6th inning.
(AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Left-hander Aaron Ashby relieved Misiorowski to start the inning, as the Cubs top of the order stepped up. Ashby faced three batters and nearly loaded the bases; however, designated hitter Kyle Tucker struck out despite getting ahead 3-1 in the count, before right-hander Chad Patrick entered and got out of the jam unscathed with the 2-1 lead intact.
Left-hander Caleb Thielbar replaced Palencia in the bottom half of the 6th inning, looking to keep the Cubs’ within one with just nine outs left in their season. Thielbar got two quick outs before walking right fielder Sal Frelick and being replaced by right-hander Andrew Kittredge, who kept it 2-1 as well.
Patrick once again silenced Cubs batters, maintaining the 2-1 lead as the Brewers frustrated Chicago’s bats with six outs separating them from a 2018 rematch with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS.
Brice Turang padded the Brewers lead with a solo shot to center field, giving Milwaukee a 3-1 lead, while right-hander Abner Uribe stepped in as Chicago was down to its final six outs, and a walk to Cubs first baseman Michael Busch didn’t phase him, as the Uribe locked it down to put Chicago three outs from elimination.
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Chicago went down in order in the 9th inning, and the Brewers not only eliminated their hated rivals, but their former manager, Craig Counsell, who left as Milwaukee’s winningest manager of all-time to go to Chicago after the 2023 season.
Game 1 of the 2025 NLCS is set for 7:08 p.m. on Monday, October 13, from American Family Field in Milwaukee, as the Brewers look to knock off Mookie Betts and the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
