MLB Playoffs: How the Dodgers stunned Phillies, advance to NLCS
After an error by the Phillies pitcher in Game 4, the Dodgers move on to the NLCS.
The National League Division Series all comes down to Saturday night, a winner-take-all Game 5 between the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs at American Family Field.
The Brewers won the first two games at home and looked to be breezing towards a sweep, but the Cubs came back to take Games 3 and 4 at Wrigley Field and send the series back to Milwaukee for the decider. The winner advances to the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, which begins Monday in Milwaukee or Los Angeles.
Only 10 teams in baseball history have overcome a 2-0 deficit to win a best-of-five series, most recently the New York Yankees in 2017. Milwaukee had MLB’s best record in the regular season but has lost its last six playoff series dating back to 2018, while the Cubs are trying to get back to the NLCS for the first time since 2017.
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The Milwaukee Brewers salvaged Andrew Vaughn’s career and now Vaughn is hoping to pay them back by salvaging their season.
Vaughn broke a fourth-inning 1-1 tie with a solo home run to left field off Colin Rea’s hanging slider, his second big homer in this NLDS.
Vaughn was acquired in trade from the Chicago White Sox this season, revitalizing a career that saw him make a trip to the minor leagues this season.
After the early power show, matters have settled down at American Family Field.
The Brewers and Cubs remain tied 1-1 through three innings in their decisive NLDS Game 5.
The Cubs opted for Colin Rea as the second man in their bullpen relay, and he’s been nearly perfect, giving up one hit in two innings. Meanwhile, Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski has calmed the heart rate after giving up a homer to Seiya Suzuki, the first batter he faced, in the second inning.
He’s given up two more hits but no more runs, and now the intrigue is how long Brewers manager Pat Murphy may stick with his prized rookie.
The Milwaukee Brewers won the battle of the openers, but the Chicago Cubs battled back with a quick strike against the Brew Crew’s rookie superstar.
William Contreras hit a two-out solo home run off Drew Pomeranz and the Brewers handed 6-foot-8 rookie Jacob Misiorowski a 1-0 lead. But it didn’t even last one batter, as Seiya Suzuki took a Misiorowski pitch and drove it over the wall in right center field.
That was a jolt for the Brewers, who in Game 2 got three scoreless relief innings from Misiorowski, the winning pitcher.
But The Miz settled down and retired the side as the clubs remained tied 1-1 entering the bottom of the second.
It’s 1-0 for the home team after one inning after Contreras went yard off Drew Pomeranz on a 3-2 count with two outs.
That’s got to feel good for the Brewers after they were shut out in Game 4.
Megill retired the first three Cubs batters in order, the final coming via a strikeout of Kyle Tucker. The Brewers’ starter was fired up after that, to say the least.
Incredibly, Game 5 is the first game of the series that the Brewers didn’t yield runs in the first inning.
What time is Cubs vs Brewers game?
First pitch is scheduled for 8:08 p.m. ET at American Family Field in Milwaukee.
Where to watch Cubs vs Brewers Game 5: TV channel, live stream
Saturday’s game will air on TBS and HBO Max and can be streamed with Sling TV.
Watch Cubs vs Brewers Game 5 on Sling TV
Cubs vs Brewers oddsBetMGM: Brewers will win
Staff writes: Based on recent trends the model predicts the Brewers will win Saturday‘s MLB game with 55.8% confidence, factoring in game simulations, recent player performances, starting pitchers and injuries.”
Draftkings: Brewers
Zach Thompson writes: “The Brewers took the first two games of the series convincingly, 9-3 and 7-3. The Cubs definitely got a big boost from playing at Wrigley Field, but back in Milwaukee, the Brewers should be able to get back in the win column. They’re much more familiar with bullpen games, and Misiorowski is a huge piece of their plan that gives them a significant advantage.”
Sports Illustrated: Brewers
Ryan Gilbert writes: “Home-field advantage has held strong in this series with both the Brewers and Cubs winning two games at their home ballparks. We’re back in Milwaukee for Game 5, and it’s hard to see the Brewers losing this one at home. The Brewers went 52-29 at home this season while the Cubs were just 42-39 on the road. Chicago did take two of three in Milwaukee way back in May, but the Brewers have now won four of the last five meetings, including the playoffs, at home.”
Drew Pomeranz and Trevor Megill are starting pitchers in name only for Game 5 of the National League Division Series, as the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers deploy “openers” in the winner-take-all game at American Family Field.
And that means the spotlight should soon switch to Brewers rookie flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski.
The instant All-Star pitched three shutout innings to earn the win in Game 2, reaching 104 mph on the radar gun and topping at least 100 mph 31 times in his relatively short stint. Misiorowski has had a full four days of rest and should be ready to roll.
How the Brewers get to The Miz remains a fluid equation in relief of Megill.
“It’s kind of like an equation. If so-and-so needs to be rescued, this is the best rescue guy there in this pocket,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said in his news conference before Game 5. “If he gets through it, here’s the best guy to open the second, based on where we ended. And then you play it out from there.”
For the Cubs, lefty Shota Imanaga is on turn, after getting lit up for four runs in just 2⅔ innings of Game 2. As we saw in Game 5 of the AL Division Series, all hands will be on the proverbial deck for both teams.