NLDS Game 2: Homers stake Brewers to 2-0 lead
The Milwaukee Brewers continued to play with a chip on their shoulder while at the same time leaning into their underdog status. Thanks to three homers and a surprising bullpen game, the Brewers took a 2-0 lead over the rival Chicago Cubs in the NL Division Series with a 7-3 victory Monday at American Family Field. The Brewers will look to move to the NL Championship Series on Wednesday as the series shifts to Wrigley Field.
While it was a rough start by digging a 3-0 hole in the first inning, the Brewers – the top seed in the entire MLB postseason field – battled back to tie it in the bottom of the first, then things worked out almost perfectly for the Crew as they were able to get key relievers into the game to show they were ready for bigger actions in the postseason while not having to deal with a dramatic finish.
FIRST BASE: Chourio good to go
Perhaps the extra day made it possible, but Jackson Chourio was in the starting lineup as the left fielder and hitting leadoff. It came after nearly two days of handwringing by Brewers fans following Chourio's exit from Game 1 in the second inning with a right hamstring injury.
SECOND BASE: Opener fails
Maybe the Brewers tried to get a little cute in trying to combat the Cubs' left-handed bats with an opener in left-hander Aaron Ashby. It forced a lineup change by Cubs manager Craig Counsell, opting to bench left-handed-hitting leadoff hitter Michael Busch for Justin Turner, a right-handed hitter. Ashby retired Turner to lead off the first, but Nico Hoerner and Kyle Tucker, another dangerous lefty hitter, walked before Seiya Suzuki crushed a three-run homer to take the Cubs to an early lead.
THIRD BASE: The good Miz
Jacob Misiorowski was a true wild card on the Brewers' Division Series roster. While he earned an All-Star nod with only a handful of MLB starts, he struggled in the second half and also had a minor injury. But it was more of his control and erratic pitching that had the Brewers' concerned. So finding a relatively soft spot to deploy Misiorowski in a postseason game, the flame-throwing rookie did his Miz best. Misiorowski responded with a solid three-inning relief appearance, consistently pumping 100-plus mph fastballs en route to four strikeouts, while walking two and allowing one hit and – most importantly – not allowing a run. Misiorowski hit 104.3 and 104.2 in his outing. Of his 57 pitches, 31 registered 100 mph or better.
HOME PLATE: The true power of friendship
Anyone who has followed the Brewers for any extended period of time knows that, yeah, they don't rely on home runs to score. But that doesn't mean they don't go deep. Andrew Vaughn, William Contreras and Chourio each hit home runs to fuel the Crew's offense. With the Brewers down 3-0 in the bottom of the first, Vaughn responded with a game-turning three-run blast of his own to tie it. Conteras then went deep in the third inning and Chourio electrified the crowd with a no-doubter to center, also a three-run shot. The pair of three-run homers were the first of that variety in 56 postseason games in franchise history.
