In Game 5 of the NLDS on Saturday, the Milwaukee Brewers<\/a> defeated the Chicago Cubs<\/a> 3-1 off the backs of three solo home runs, securing the series and securing their berth in the NLCS.<\/p>\n Both sides declared this a “bullpen game,” meaning they would use their slate of relievers instead of a traditional starter + relievers. Drew Pomeranz<\/a><\/strong>, a left-handed middle reliever, opened for the Cubs. Trevor Megill<\/a><\/strong>, a closer, opened for the Brewers in typical form.<\/p>\n The Brewers struck first in the bottom of the first inning with a solo homer from William Contreras<\/a><\/strong>. The Cubs answered with a Seiya Suzuki<\/a><\/strong> solo homer of their own off rookie reliever Jacob Misiorowski<\/a><\/strong> in the top of the second inning, tying the game. The Cubs only managed that one run, though.<\/p>\n The Brewers responded in the fourth and seventh innings with two two-out solo homers. They came from Andrew Vaughn<\/a><\/strong> and Brice Turang<\/a><\/strong>, respectively.<\/p>\n The Brewers employed a “all-hands” strategy on the mound. With four innings pitched, and only allowing Suzuki’s homer and two more singles, along with no walks, Misiorowski had a strong performance.<\/p>\n Closer Abner Uribe<\/a><\/strong> sealed the victory with two scoreless frames after the Brewers’ relievers pitched three scoreless innings. The Cubs never posed a consistent threat, only managing four hits.<\/p>\n The Brewers’ power showed up in key moments, and their offense performed well when it counted most. They displayed poise and patience at the plate by hitting two-out solo homers for each of their three runs. Vaughn, Turang, and Contreras exploited hittable pitches. They delivered the timely output that characterizes postseason baseball. The Brewers only needed controlled at-bats and well-timed swings rather than long rallies to turn close innings into pivotal moments.<\/p>\n Misiorowski was calm beyond his years on the mound. He tossed four innings, only allowing Suzuki’s homer and two more singles while walking none. In order to keep the Cubs off balance, the 22-year-old rookie combined a quick slider with a lively fastball to manage the biggest stage of his young career with cool efficiency. He retired nine of the next ten batters he faced, demonstrating the importance of his ability to bounce back after giving up Suzuki’s home run in the second inning. It was a wise move for manager Pat Murphy<\/a><\/strong> to put Misiorowski in such a high-pressure situation, as it set the stage for the relief unit to complete the task.<\/p>\n Once again, the Brewers’ relief corps demonstrated why it is one of the finest in baseball. From Uribe’s spectacular two-inning save to Chad Patrick<\/a><\/strong>‘s inning and 2\/3 of bridge work, thy held firm. Instead of experiencing the command problems that beset them earlier in the series, each reliever performed with accuracy. The Cubs were never able to pose a significant comeback threat thanks to their collective poise and shutdown mentality, which allowed the Brewers to celebrate their long-awaited return to the NLCS.<\/p>\n The Cubs’ offense was unable to maintain pressure following Suzuki’s early home run. They struggled to square up Brewer relievers the rest of the night, managing only three hits aside from that second-inning blast. Additionally, they lacked the reliable contact and prompt execution that carried them through the series’ first several games, despite a few strong at-bats. Their chances of progressing were ultimately dashed by their incapacity to string hits together in crucial locations.<\/p>\n The Cubs’ night was characterized by missed opportunities. Two runners reached base with no outs in the sixth inning, giving them their best opportunity. But the threat was swiftly eliminated by a strikeout and double play. Opportunities to make an impact that turn into squandered innings have plagued the Cubs throughout the postseason. Every lost chance was amplified when facing a pitching staff as effective as the Brewers.<\/p>\n The pressure of the moment also caused the Cubs pitching strategy to collapse. The difference came from solo home runs given up by\u00a0 Pomeranz, along with Andrew Kittredge<\/a><\/strong> and Colin Rea<\/a><\/strong>, even though the relievers mostly held their own. The Cubs saw the Brewers rejoice on their home field because the offense could not respond to every Brewers run.<\/p>\n The victory is the Brewers first over the Cubs in playoffs history and their playoff series victory first since 2018.<\/p>\n The Brewers scored three runs on three two-out solo home runs.<\/p>\n Five runners were left on base as the Cubs ended the game 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.<\/p>\n Milwaukee faithful packed the stadium, as a sold-out American Family Field drew 42,691.<\/p>\n Misiorowski earned the win for the Brewers with Rea taking the loss for the Cubs, both in relief. As mentioned earlier, Uribe pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth for a six-out save.<\/p>\n The Brewers will face the Los Angeles Dodgers<\/a> in the NLCS. Game One will be Monday night in Milwaukee. At press time, the two teams had yet to name their starting pitchers. First pitch will be at 7:08 pm Central\/5:08 pm Pacific. TBS and HBO Max will broadcast the game.<\/p>\nBrewers – Cubs Game Summary<\/h3>\n
What Went Right for the Brewers<\/h3>\n
Clutch Hitting<\/h4>\n
Jacob Misiorowski<\/h4>\n
Stellar Relief Pitching<\/h4>\n
What Went Wrong for the Cubs<\/h3>\n
Ice Cold Bats<\/h4>\n
Missed Opportunities<\/h4>\n
Inability to Close Out Innings<\/h4>\n
Quick Hits<\/h3>\n
Looking Ahead<\/h3>\n
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\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>