Milwaukee jumped out to a dominant start, scoring six in the first inning as Jackson Chourio delivered a two-run single to cap the frame and Milwaukee cruised to a 9-3 win over Chicago in Game 1 of the NLDS. The Brewers piled 13 hits with no homers, leaning on scrappy contact and timely hits to pressure Counsell’s Cubs. Freddy Peralta worked 5 2/3 innings with nine strikeouts, tying a team playoff record, while Chourio left early with right hamstring tightness and an MRI looms.

The Cubs answered with three solo homers from Michael Busch, Ian Happ and Nico Hoerner, but Milwaukee answered early and often, extending the lead and riding a potent, run-suppressing approach that carried the regular season. The atmosphere in Milwaukee felt like a home game for the Brewers as crowd energy and in-game execution supported the surge, even as Chourio’s health became the focal point moving forward.

Chourio’s injury updates will dominate the narrative ahead of Game 2 Monday, with Pat Murphy calling the potential issue “could be devastating” before the ace rookie expressed optimism about his readiness. Milwaukee will lean on its depth and the same gritty approach as it heads into the rest of the series, while Chicago must regroup and reimagine its offense without relying on the long ball alone.

A Cubs relief gem changed the NLDS Game 1 mood as Aaron Civale delivered 4 1/3 scoreless innings to steady Chicago’s lanky bullpen after an early Brewers onslaught. He faced Milwaukee’s lineup with calm attack, saving the arms for later as the Cubs mounted a mini-rally behind three homers from Busch, Happ and Hoerner. Peralta fought through early trouble, but Civale’s work kept Chicago in the series and highlighted the bullpen’s bounce-back potential.

The narrative intertwined Civale’s cross-team history with key performances from Brown on the mound and from Chicago’s offense, setting the stage for a tightly contested rest-of-series as both clubs readjust on off days and chase momentum.

Milwaukee jumped on Cubs starter Matthew Boyd in NLDS Game 1, scoring six runs in the first inning after he started on three days' rest, then adding three more in the second to roll past Chicago 9-3. Blake Perkins chased with an RBI single during the early rally as Nico Hoerner’s error opened the floodgates. Aaron Civale steadied Milwaukee’s bullpen after Mike Soroka’s short outing. Game 2 moves to Milwaukee on Monday as the Brewers take momentum and a hot offense into the series.

Milwaukee exploded for six runs in the bottom of the first off Matthew Boyd, turning Chicago’s leadoff homer into a one-sided NLDS opener. Hoerner’s miscue helped fuel four unearned runs as the Brewers surged ahead and never really let go.

The Cubs scratched back with solo shots from Ian Happ and Hoerner, but Jackson Chourio opened the early onslaught with three hits in two frames. Chicago bullpen pressure mounted after three straight playoff games, while Aaron Civale’s 4 1/3 scoreless innings offered a rare Cubs bright spot as Milwaukee cruised to a 9-3 win.

Milwaukee holds a firm edge heading into the off day, leveraging a relentless lineup and timely relief to seize control of the series.