The Milwaukee Brewers wasted no time asserting dominance in their National League Division Series opener against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday night at American Family Field. By the top of the sixth inning, the Brewers had piled on a commanding 9-2 lead, leaving the Cubs' faithful—and their manager Craig Counsell—scrambling for answers in what was supposed to be a tightly contested rivalry renewal.
Indeed, the game started with some promise for Chicago. Michael Busch cracked a solo homer in the first off Freddy Peralta, and Ian Happ added another in the sixth to briefly ignite the lineup. But Milwaukee's offense exploded thereafter. Jackson Chourio's timely single in the third brought in two runs, while Caleb Durbin's hit later scored Christian Yelich and William Contreras, pushing the advantage to 5-1. Errors plagued the Cubs' defense, notably Nico Hoerner's misplay that allowed extra runs to cross the plate. Peralta, settling in after the early jolt, struck out key hitters and limited damage, throwing just 30 pitches through three frames.
However, the Brewers' bullpen, with Michael Soroka and Aaron Civale following, kept the pressure on. Milwaukee's hitters feasted on Chicago's pitching, racking up singles and capitalizing on every miscue. William Contreras, the Brewers' catcher, was a standout with two RBIs, embodying the team's gritty resurgence under Pat Murphy. This win snaps a season series where the Cubs edged out a 7-6 advantage during the regular year, but playoff intensity has clearly flipped the script.
Moreover, the rivalry's fire—fueled by Counsell's defection to Chicago from Milwaukee—added layers of intrigue, though the scoreboard told a different story tonight. Busch and Happ's homers were bright spots for the Cubs, but their 4 runners left on base highlighted broader frustrations. As the series heads to Game 2, Counsell will need adjustments to counter Milwaukee's momentum.
With the Brewers' faithful roaring, one can't help but wonder if this early blowout signals a deeper Cubs' vulnerability in the high-stakes October dance.