Homer- happy Brewers put Cubs in a 2-0 NLDS hole: Milwaukee beats Chicago 7-3. The Milwaukee Brewers delivered a dominant performance against the Chicago Cubs on Monday night, winning 7-3. With this victory, the Brewers took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five National League Division Series (NLDS). Three-run homers from Andrew Vaughn and Jackson Chourio and a solo shot from William Contreras moved the Brewers one step closer to the National League Championship Series (NLCS). Let’s take a detailed analysis of this exciting match, highlighting the performances of both teams, the roles of key players, and the probable outcome of the upcoming game
The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Chicago Cubs 7-3 thanks to their home run-focused offensive game. This victory is especially significant for the Brewers, as they are on the verge of winning a postseason series for the first time since 2018. The third game will be held at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Wednesday, where the Brewers will attempt to close out the series. Historically, teams taking a 2-0 lead in best-of-five postseason series have won 80 out of 90 times, including 54 sweeps. This statistic represents a strong position for the Brewers.
Brewers’ Batting Performance. Milwaukee’s batting was exceptional in this game, especially in terms of home runs. Andrew Vaughn and Jackson Chourio hit the first two three-run homers in Brewers’ postseason history, one of the biggest highlights of the game. Additionally, William Contreras hit a solo home run in the third inning to tie the score at 3-3, giving the Brewers the lead.
Andrew Vaughn: Vaughn hit a three-run home run over the left-field wall off Shota Imanaga in the first inning, tying the score. This was the Brewers’ first three-run home run or grand slam in the postseason.
Jackson Chourio: Chourio hit a 419-foot three-run home run off Daniel Palencia in the fourth inning. Despite suffering a hamstring injury in the first game, Chourio made a remarkable comeback and made a significant contribution in this game as well.
William Contreras: Contreras hit a 411-foot solo home run in the third inning, giving the Brewers a permanent lead.
Brewers’ Pitching Strength. The Brewers’ pitching unit performed brilliantly in this game. Starter Aaron Ashby gave up a three-run home run to Seiya Suzuki in the first inning, but the Brewers’ bullpen didn’t give the Cubs much of a chance after that. Nick Meyers, Jakub Misiorowski, Chad Patrick, Jared Koenig, Trevor Megill, and Abner Uribe combined to pitch shutout relief for 7.5 innings, allowing just one hit.
Jakub Misiorowski: This young pitcher entered in the third inning and earned the win after tossing three scoreless innings. Thirty-one of his 57 pitches were over 100 mph, with his top speed reaching 104.3 mph. His first eight pitches were over 102.6 mph, demonstrating his dominance.
Chicago Cubs Struggle. The Chicago Cubs got off to an aggressive start with a 440-foot three-run home run by Seiya Suzuki in the first inning. However, their batting completely stalled after that. Cubs manager Craig Counsell admitted that his team couldn’t put enough pressure on the Brewers’ pitchers. Counsell said, “We played well in the first two innings, but after that, we couldn’t get runs in scoring position. This shows we’re not putting enough pressure on them.
Cubs starter Shota Imanaga also had a disappointing performance. He struck out the first two batters twice in the first three innings, but then gave up home runs. Imanaga has given up multiple home runs in six of his last eight starts, highlighting his current weakness.
Key Stats and Records.Historical Lead: Teams taking a 2-0 lead in best-of-five postseason series have won 80 out of 90 times, including 54 sweeps. This represents a strong position for the Brewers.
Homer Record: This was the first MLB playoff game in which both teams hit three-run homers in the first inning.
Jackson Chourio’s Record: In Game 1, Chourio made history by hitting three hits in the first two innings of a postseason game. He continued his impressive form in this game.
