The biggest start of Jameson Taillon’s nine-year career had him center stage.

As the champagne corks shot off in the Chicago Cubs clubhouse shortly after an on-field team picture to commemorate their 3-1 win over the San Diego Padres in Game 3 of the wild-card series to advance, Taillon was reflective.

“I feel like sometimes I fly a little under the radar and I understand that, but I was brought here to pitch in big games, and it means a lot to me to come through in a big moment for this team,” Taillon said. “I feel like they look at me to be that guy.”

Then, as he felt somebody dump something on him, he glanced to his right.

“A beer shower from Tom Ricketts, nice,” a smiling Taillon said of the Cubs Chairman.

The Cubs’ postgame celebration went to another level Thursday, this group getting their first taste last month in the visitors clubhouse in Pittsburgh after clinching a playoff spot. The off-the-charts energy certainly was understandable. Wrigley Field hadn’t seen the Cubs win a playoff series there since 2017 and until Thursday, the franchise was 0-3 in winner-takes-all postseason games.

It took an all-around team performance to survive, starting with Taillon.

“He’s incredible, he’s a guy that relies on execution and touch,” said Nico Hoerner of Taillon before his thoughts abruptly paused as someone poured a drink over him while screaming, “He’s a stud, he’s a gamer, don’t forget it, No. 2!”

The chaotic celebratory scene had it all.

Moisés Ballesteros banged a cowbell with a drumstick, courtesy of Justin Turner, that the rookie catcher used earlier in the dugout to celebrate Michael Busch’s home run in the eighth inning. Justin Steele, who has been in the organization since 2014 and their most reliable starter the previous three seasons, took part in the festivities and his first champagne celebration after his year was cut short in April due to season-ending elbow surgery.

Ricketts doused Pearl Jam frontman and Cubs fan Eddie Vedder with a beer. Daniel Palencia, with two Budweiser beer bottles affixed between the straps of his goggles like antlers, was hoarse and nearly vibrating trying to explain what it means for manager Craig Counsell to trust him for four outs spanning three innings. Shota Imanaga broke out into “Go Cubs Go,” much like the 40,895 fans had after Andrew Kittredge retired San Diego’s Freddy Fermin to end the game.

“To pop bottles with these guys, it’s less about the champagne and the beer, it’s more about this is the crew we’ve been with all year,” Taillon said. “We go through the ups and downs together, not to get too emotional, but I see these guys more than I see my family and my wife during the season and everyone in here means a lot to me. To be able to do it at Wrigley is pretty sweet.”

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The alcohol flowed, congratulations exchanged, and the music reverberated within the clubhouse.

“This is what I do, I’m the team DJ,” noted Dansby Swanson as he scrolled through Spotify songs on the clubhouse’s touchscreen near the middle of the room.

Near the end of the festivities, as players, coaches and staff exited toward the dugout tunnel to celebrate with their families on the field, Turner carried his young son, Bo, into the clubhouse to share a moment while dozens of champagne and beer bottles piled up in a bin.

The Cubs clearly aren’t satisfied with this being their last celebration of the season. Their division rivals, and NL Central champs for the third straight season, await them in Milwaukee.

This will be the Cubs’ first playoff meeting with the Brewers.

“It’s going to be a great atmosphere, it’s Cubs-Brewers — that’s going to be as good as it gets,” Counsell said. “It’s always a great atmosphere when the two teams play each other. We’ll try to get as many Cubs fans in there as we can. They won’t like that, but it’s going to be a fun atmosphere, I know that.”

NL Division Series: Cubs vs. Brewers

Best-of-five | All games on TBS

Game 1: 1:08 p.m. Saturday at Brewers
Game 2: 8:08 p.m. Monday at Brewers
Game 3: Wednesday at Wrigley Field
Game 4: Thursday at Wrigley Field
Game 5: Oct. 11 at Brewers

Games 4-5 if necessary; times for Games 3-5 to be determined