Misiorowski Shines as Brewers Defeat Cubs to Advance to NLCS

In a thrilling conclusion to the National League Division Series, rookie Jacob Misiorowski showcased his pitching prowess once again to guide the Milwaukee Brewers to a 3-1 triumph over the Chicago Cubs in the fifth and deciding game on Saturday night. The win propels Milwaukee to the National League Championship Series (NLCS), where they will face the Los Angeles Dodgers starting Monday.

Misiorowski, just 23 years old, solidified his postseason resurgence by delivering four strong innings, conceding only two singles and securing his second victory of the series with a 2-0 record. The Cubs managed their only run via a solo home run by Seiya Suzuki, but Misiorowski’s composure and control shined through as he walked no batters and struck out three.

"He had ups and downs. He had a lot of highs, he had some low moments," said Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich, a veteran of Milwaukee’s 2018 playoff run. "But we’re definitely not winning this series if not for him. He pitched a ton of big innings for us in Game 2. And tonight, he was really unbelievable. Really settled the game down and set the tone for the rest of the guys out of the pen."

Five Brewers pitchers combined to limit the Cubs to just four hits, with Abner Uribe closing out the final two innings for the save. Meanwhile, All-Star closer Trevor Megill maintained a perfect first inning, marking the first time the Cubs failed to score in an opening frame this series.

The Brewers struck early with William Contreras launching a two-out homer in the first inning, putting Milwaukee ahead. Andrew Vaughn, acquired midseason from the White Sox, hit a crucial solo home run in the fourth inning to give the Brewers a 2-1 lead. Following consecutive singles and a walk loading the bases, Milwaukee’s offense maintained pressure despite a force out.

Vaughn reflected on his pivotal homer, saying, "That was huge. Just swung the momentum into our dugout. It was huge, got everybody fired up. The crowd was unbelievable. They stayed loud all night after that."

The Cubs threatened in the sixth with two runners on and no outs but failed to capitalize, a rare offensive struggle noted by manager Craig Counsell. "That’s really the only inning you could talk about," Counsell remarked. "We just didn’t do much. We had six baserunners. You’re going to have to hit homers to have any runs scoring in scenarios like that."

Brice Turang sealed the victory with a two-out solo home run in the seventh inning, extending Milwaukee’s lead to 3-1.

With this series win, the Brewers secure their first playoff series victory since 2018 and will host the Dodgers in the NLCS. The franchise, seeded number one overall with home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, aims to build on this momentum as they pursue a deeper postseason run.