Milwaukee defeated Chicago 3-1 in Game 5 to advance to the NLCS, riding three homers—William Contreras in the first, Andrew Vaughn in the fourth, and Brice Turang in the seventh—plus a four-inning gem from rookie Jacob Misiorowski as the bullpen locked down the Cubs on a four-hitter. The win ends Milwaukee’s playoff rut since 2018 and sets up a clash with the Dodgers in the NLCS, with Game 1 looming in Milwaukee.

The Brewers used an all-hands-on-deck pitching plan—Megill, Misiorowski, Ashby, Chad Patrick and Abner Uribe—while Cubs manager Craig Counsell, once a Brewers pillar, was booed by a crowd that still remembers his Brewers tenure. Chicago’s only offense came on Seiya Suzuki’s homer off Misiorowski; otherwise Milwaukee’s bullpen closed the door after a tense, strategic finale.

As Milwaukee moves on, the Dodgers await in a rematch of 2020’s rivalries, with the NLCS kickoff set for Monday. The Cubs forced the decisive fifth by winning at Wrigley, but could not complete the comeback from 0-2. The series highlighted Milwaukee’s postseason grit and the shifting allegiances in a heated Cubs–Brewers rivalry.