MILWAUKEE — There’s no guarantee Nico Hoerner’s defensive gaffe in the first inning of the Cubs’ 9-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of the NLDS ultimately changes the result of the game.

But there’s no denying the effect it had on the contest, either.

“Obviously, that play had an impact, not just win and loss implications, but just the entire use of the pitching staff and everything like that,” Hoerner said after the loss. “Had a huge effect on that game and momentum.”

The Cubs were trailing 2-1 in the first inning with runners on first and second base and one out when Brewers right fielder Sal Frelick hit a 49.5-mph grounder to second base. Hoerner charged at the ball, looked briefly to second to potentially try and turn an inning-ending double play before letting the ball slip under his glove.

“Obviously the error, they capitalized on the error. They capitalized on an extra out very well, and that cost us for sure,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said.

Brewers catcher William Contreras raced home to score from second base, sending another jolt into the crowd at American Family Field and giving the scrappy Brewers another run.

They turned that extra out into three more runs as part of a six-score frame that chased left-hander Matthew Boyd from the game after only two-thirds of an inning and effectively sucker-punched the Cubs in the mouth – and they had no response.

“Hard to predict win or loss based on plays in the first inning, but just get an out like you do most of the time in that situation on the play that I missed,” Hoerner said. “And [then I] loved Matty’s chances to get out of that inning with two runs and settle in like we’ve seen him do many times this year.”

Instead, the Cubs were in a hole that felt impossible to climb out of.

“Whether it’s the postseason or the regular season, a team puts up six, it’s hard to win,” Ian Happ said. “I think that’s a credit to them and the at-bats they put together in the first.”

[Jackson Chourio injury: Brewers star exits Game 1 of NLDS vs. Cubs]

Boyd tried to downplay the severity of Hoerner’s error that led to four unearned runs in the frame. The veteran starter wasn’t sharp on three days’ rest, allowing four hits in that inning while recording just two outs. He struck out Caleb Durbin after Frelick reached and had a chance to still escape the frame down 3-1.

Blake Perkins slogged out an 11-pitch at-bat and hit a full-count single to score a run that finally led Counsell to pull Boyd.

“We’re all human, and it’s my job there to pick him up,” Boyd said. “I point to the Perkins at-bat where he kept fighting, kept battling, and ended up winning it [after] 10-plus pitches. Nico’s so good for us, but it’s my job to pick him up there. Perkins was better than me in that at-bat.”

The trickle-down effect that the big first inning caused hurts, too. Counsell had to turn to his bullpen to cover 22 outs, with Aaron Civale pitching 4.1 innings and Ben Brown tossing the final two frames. That might affect their availability in Game 2 on Monday.

[MORE: Cubs explain roster decisions entering NLDS showdown with Brewers]

The hot start by Milwaukee also highlights just how deadly they are as a team. The first three hitters of the Brewers lineup recorded doubles on three straight pitches, turning a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead in the blink of an eye. Then, they just kept scrapping at-bats and putting pressure on the Cubs.

“They had a lot of solid contact today that led to a lot of runs, for sure,” Hoerner said. “Obviously, when you give any team at this level extra outs, it’s gonna really come back to get you a lot of the time. Unfortunately, that mistake I made led to a lot of runs today.”