Brewers Conquer Cubs in Game 5 Thriller, Advance to NLCS

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MILWAUKEE, WI — The Milwaukee Brewers, affectionately dubbed the “Average Joes” by their manager Pat Murphy, proved they are anything but on Saturday night, vanquishing their bitter rivals, the Chicago Cubs, with a tense 3-1 victory in the decisive Game 5 of the National League Division Series. The win at a raucous American Family Field not only secured the Brewers’ first postseason series win since 2018 but also delivered a particularly sweet revenge against former manager Craig Counsell.

In a winner-take-all battle defined by a throwback “bullpen game” strategy, the Brewers’ unsung heroes delivered a pitching masterclass and clutch, two-out power to keep the Cubs’ comeback bid just short.

The Power of the Solo Shot

In a game where every run was manufactured by a solo home run, the Brewers’ offense, often overshadowed by flashier big-market clubs, provided just enough punch.

William Contreras set the tone early, launching a solo shot in the bottom of the first inning off Cubs opener Drew Pomeranz.
The Cubs quickly countered in the second with a solo blast from Seiya Suzuki off rookie reliever Jacob Misiorowski, knotting the score at 1-1.
The tie was broken in the fourth when trade-deadline acquisition Andrew Vaughn, who has been a revelation for Milwaukee, crushed a 3-2 pitch for a go-ahead, two-out solo homer, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
Finally, Gold Glove second baseman Brice Turang provided the crucial insurance in the seventh, driving a 416-foot shot to center field for the final 3-1 margin. All three of Milwaukee’s runs came with two outs, a testament to their patience and clutch approach.

The Bullpen Brilliance

Milwaukee’s victory was anchored by an “all-hands-on-deck” pitching strategy that completely suffocated the potent Cubs offense after the second inning.

Rookie right-hander Jacob Misiorowski was the unquestionable star of the night on the mound. Entering in the second after Trevor Megill worked a clean first, the 23-year-old flamethrower settled down after giving up the Suzuki homer. He went on to pitch four brilliant innings of one-run ball, striking out three and walking none to earn his second win of the series.

The late-inning bridge was held firm by Aaron Ashby and Chad Patrick, who navigated the Cubs’ final threat in the sixth inning. After a leadoff single and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with nobody out, the pair combined to record three massive outs—a strikeout, a flyout, and a final strikeout—to extinguish the Cubs’ best chance to tie the game.

Closer Abner Uribe finished the job, earning a six-out, multi-inning save to seal the victory and exorcise the demons of last year’s Wild Card Series collapse.

A Rivalry’s Sweetest Victory

The victory was steeped in extra significance for the Brewers and their faithful, as it came against their arch-rivals and knocked former manager Craig Counsell—who departed Milwaukee for the Cubs in the offseason—out of the postseason.

“It was important to these guys—because it’s the rival—to finish the job,” said manager Pat Murphy, who upgraded his team’s nickname after the win. “You can call them the average Joes, but I say they’re the above-average Joes.”

For the Cubs, the defeat marks a disappointing end to a season that saw them battle back from a 0-2 series deficit to force a decisive Game 5, a feat last accomplished by the Yankees in the 2017 ALDS.

The Brewers, having endured five straight postseason series losses since 2018, now move on to the National League Championship Series. Their opponent? A familiar and formidable one: the Los Angeles Dodgers, whom they battled in a thrilling seven-game NLCS back in 2018. Game 1 of the NLCS will take place on Monday in Milwaukee.