The Milwaukee Brewers bashed three home runs to move within one win of the team’s first playoff series win since 2018, prevailing, 7-3, in Game 2 of its National League Divisional Series against the rival Chicago Cubs on Monday, Oct. 6.
The power display came two days after the Brewers scored nine runs in Game 1 without hitting a four-bagger. Andrew Vaughn and Jackson Chourio each had three-run home runs, while William Contreras had a solo blast, as all seven of the Brewers’ Game 2 runs came with two outs.
On the mound, it was a bullpen game for the Brewers … and it got off to a less-than-ideal start. Aaron Ashby — typically a bullpen piece for manager Pat Murphy’s Brew Crew — gave up a three-run home run to Seiya Suzuki in the first inning. For a fleeting moment, it seemed to be a reversal of fortunate for the Cubs after they gave up six first inning runs in Game 1. Instead, Vaughn hit a three-run dinger in the bottom of the first and the Brewers never trailed in Game 2 again.
After Ashby’s adventurous start, Brewers pitchers Nick Mears, Jacob Misiorowski, Chad Patrick, Jared Koenig, Trevor Megill and Abner Uribe help shut down the Cubs. Misiorowski, in particular, had a standout performance, pitching three scoreless innings while firing 100-plus mph pitches at Cubs batters.
Game 3 of the best-of-five NLDS between the Cubs and Brewers is Wednesday, Oct. 8 (5:08 p.m. ET on TBS) as the series shifts to Wrigley Field.
USA TODAY Sports provided updates and highlights of Game 2 between the Cubs and Brewers:
Brewers closing in on Game 2 win
Aaron Ashby’s adventurous first inning seems like a distant memory now after five subsequent Brewers pitchers have shut down the Cubs’ vaunted lineup.
After Jared Koenig went four-up, four-down after coming on with one out in the eighth inning, All-Star closer Trevor Megill — who missed a month of the season due to a right flexor strain but pitched in the regular-season finale — came on and got Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ to pop out to close out the inning.
The Brewers now are three outs away from a 2-0 series lead over their NL Central rivals. Score: Brewers 7, Cubs 3.
Brewers dig deeper into bullpen to keep Cubs at bay in Game 2
Jacob Misiorowski pitched three scoreless innings, striking out four, and gave way to another rookie pitcher who was primarily a starter this season: Chad Patrick.
Patrick — the fourth pitcher called on by the Brewers in Game 2 — struck out Carson Kelly and Pete Crow-Armstrong before getting Dansby Swanson to ground out to first baseman Andrew Vaughn for a 1-2-3 top of the sixth inning. The confluence of power hitting, solid pitching and defense is keeping the Brewers ahead of their rivals in this Game 2 of the NLDS. Score: Brewers 7, Cubs 3.
Jackson Chourio extends Brewers’ lead with three-run blast
Jackson Chourio — whose status for this game was uncertain after tweaking his hamstring in Game 1 — crushed a four-seam fastball from Daniel Palencia well beyond the reach of Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong for a three-run home run that gave the Brewers a four-run lead over their NL Central rivals.
In Game 1, Chourio was off to a rousing start, but then re-aggravated his right hamstring — the same injury that caused him to miss a month this season — while legging out an infield single. To the surprise of some, Chourio was back in the starting lineup for Game 2, and the Brewers are delighted to have him in the leadoff spot.
Chourio’s three-run home run drove in Caleb Durbin and Joey Ortiz, and had the Milwaukee fans stomping their feet and clapping their hands. Score: Brewers 7, Cubs 3.
William Contreras solo shot gives the Brewers the lead
After going Game 1 without a home run, the Brewers now have two through four innings.
William Contreras launched a 1-1 pitch from Shota Imanaga into the second deck in left field at American Family Field, sending Bernie Brewer down his slide and the Brew Crew fans into a frenzy.
After then giving up a single to Christian Yelich, Cubs manager Craig Counsell came out and replaced his starting pitcher with Daniel Palencia, who retired Andrew Vaughn to end the inning. And, you can close the book on Imanaga, who allowed four runs in 2⅔ innings while striking out three. Score: Brewers 4, Cubs 3.
Fired-up Jacob Misiorowski keeps Cubs at bay in third inning
Jacob Misiorowski came out of the bullpen and prevented the Cubs from taking a lead in the third.
‘The Miz’ got Kyle Tucker to ground out, then walked Seiya Suzuki. After striking out Ian Happ, Misiorowski fielded a comebacker from Carson Kelly and sprinted to first base to record the third out. An intense Misiorowski pumped his fist and hopped up and down as he headed back to the dugout after the scoreless top half of the third. Score: Brewers 3, Cubs 3.
Second inning goes by without any offensive fireworks
Neither the Cubs nor Brewers managed to get score any runs in the second inning.
The Brewers are in full-on bullpen game mode, as Nick Mears replaced Aaron Ashby to get the final out in the top of the second.
Cubs starter Shota Imanaga put the Brewers down 1-2-3 to end the inning.
Rookie fireballer Jacob Misiorowski is entering the game to pitch the top of the third inning. Score: Brewers 3, Cubs 3.
Andrew Vaughn ties it up with three-run home run
Andrew Vaughn continues to torment the Cubs, and erased the early lead that Chicago briefly enjoyed at American Family Field.
Vaughn hit a two-out three-run home run to tie up the score, driving in William Contreras and Christian Yelich — who had back-to-back singles with two outs.
Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga got two strikeouts to open the bottom of the first inning and looked to be cruising … until Vaughn tied it up.
Back on July 29, Vaughn blasted a grand slam against the Cubs.
Per Sarah Langs of MLB, this is the first time a Major League Baseball postseason game has featured both teams hitting a three-run home run (or grand slam) in the first inning. Score: Brewers 3, Cubs 3.
Cubs storm out to early after Seiya Suzuki’s three-run blast
In Game 1, it was the Brewers with the big first inning. In Game 2, the Cubs stormed out to a big lead as the decision to start left-hander Aaron Ashby — typically a bullpen piece — backfired spectacularly on the Brewers.
Seiya Suzuki crushed a three-run homer to left field after Nico Hoerner singled and Kyle Tucker walked.
Ashby had gone 16 appearances without allowing a home run, with the last dinger allowed coming on Aug. 22 against the San Francisco Giants. Score: Cubs 3, Brewers 0.
What time is Cubs vs Brewers?
The second game of the National League Division Series doubleheader begins at 9:08 p.m. ET on Monday, Oct. 6, at American Family Field in Milwaukee.
How to watch Cubs vs Brewers NLDS Game 2
TV: TBS, TruTV
Streaming: HBO Max, Sling TV
Watch NLDS on Sling TV
Could Cade Horton pitch a Game 5 for Cubs?
Cade Horton, the sensational Cubs rookie starter who led all of baseball in ERA after the All-Star break, has been sidelined with a cracked rib, with the possibility that he’d be available to pitch later in the division series. Cubs manager Craig Counsell spoke about Horton’s progress before Game 2.
‘Everything is going very well for Cade,’ Counsell said. ‘We are going to kind of ramp up activity as we get back to Wrigley tomorrow. Then we’ll know more. But this has been — I don’t know what day the news came out, Sunday last week, so like 10 days. It’s been all very good news since then, and he’s been pain-free. Every throwing session has been pain-free and pushing it a little bit more. So we keep trying to take steps forward, and we’ll continue to do that with even more intensity tomorrow actually in Wrigley.’
Cubs lineup today
Justin Turner (R) 1B
Nico Hoerner (R) 2B
Kyle Tucker (L) DH
Seiya Suzuki (R) RF
Ian Happ (S) LF
Carson Kelly (R) C
Pete Crow-Armstrong (L) CF
Dansby Swanson (R) SS
Matt Shaw (R) 3B
Brewers lineup vs Cubs for NLDS Game 2
Jackson Chourio (R) LF
Brice Turang (L) 2B
William Contreras (R) C
Christian Yelich (L) DH
Andrew Vaughn (R) 1B
Sal Frelick (L) RF
Caleb Durbin (R) 3B
Blake Perkins (S) CF
Joey Ortiz (R) SS
Jackson Chourio injury update
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio, who left Game 1 of the team’s National League Division Series with a tweaked right hamstring, is headed right back to left field in Game 2.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy told reporters before the Oct. 6 game between the Brewers and Chicago Cubs that Chourio will indeed be leading off against left-hander Shota Imanaga at American Family Field and playing in his usual spot. — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Why is Aaron Ashby starting Game 2 for the Brewers?
He’s closed games. He’s served as a long reliever. He’s pitched in high-leverage situations.
Now on Monday, Oct. 6, Ashby is going to be asked to serve as an opener against the Chicago Cubs in the teams’ Game 2 NLDS matchup as a way to mitigate a group of left-handed or switch-hitters creating a potent top of the lineup for the Brewers’ Central Division rival.
Right-hander Quinn Priester is expected to follow Ashby in the same sort of lefty-righty tandem that the Brewers utilized five times previously this season. — Todd Rosiak, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel