The Chicago Cubs got three first inning runs again Thursday, but they managed to add insurance runs in a shutout win over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4.
Matthew Boyd, who gave up six runs in Game 1 of the series against the Brewers, had a much better night in Game 4, striking out six batters, walking three and allowing two hits while surrendering zero runs in 4.2 innings of work.
Ian Happ, who came into the series batting just .096 in the playoffs, hammered a three-run home run into the right field bleachers in the first inning, making it four games in a row the Cubs had gotten a first inning long ball.
Freddy Peralta, who allowed two runs and struck out nine batters in Game 1, did get six more strikeouts for the Brewers in Game 4, but he gave up three earned runs and lasted just four innings for Milwaukee.
For the first time in the series, a team was held without a first inning run, as the Brewers were held scoreless and hitless in that frame.
The Cubs took full advantage of that, scoring yet again in the first inning as they raced out to an early lead. Nico Hoerner hit a single to left field and Kyle Tucker coaxed a one out walk, and after Seiya Suzuki struck out, Happ homered to right field, giving Chicago a 3-0 lead after the first inning.
From there, Boyd largely cruised, allowing baserunners in the second and third innings but stranding them both. He did struggle in the fifth inning, giving up a lead-off double to Sal Frelick and a walk to Blake Perkins, but he was able to get an out on a Joey Ortiz sacrifice, leaving runners at second and third with one out.
In a key moment, Boyd punched out Christian Yelich with a strikeout, and Counsell turned to Daniel Palencia to face Jackson Chourio, who had hit a three-run home run off of him earlier in the series.
This time around the matchup went to Palencia, as he induced a pop-out to get the Cubs out of the inning unscathed.
The Cubs loaded up the bases with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning, but squandered a chance to add onto their lead thanks to the pitching of Aaron Ashby, who struck out Suzuki and got Happ to fly out to center field, leaving the lead at three runs entering the sixth inning.
Palencia worked through the sixth with a minimum of drama, and the Cubs generated another scoring chance in the bottom of the frame. After Carson Kelly hit an infield single and Dansby Swanson drew a walk, Matt Shaw looped a single into center field, scoring Kelly and extending Chicago’s lead to four runs. A diving stop by Andrew Vaughn and a Hoerner groundout limited the damage to just one run.
The Cubs added more insurance in the bottom of the seventh as Tucker socked his first home run of the postseason, smacking a shot into the left-center bleachers to make it a 5-0 game and to put a fresh charge into Wrigley Field.
It looked for the briefest of moments the Cubs had added even more, but a Kelly home run was erased after a video review, and Chicago went quietly the rest of the inning.
Brad Keller came into the game to face the top of the Brewers’ order in the eighth inning, and after issuing a lead-off walk to Yelich he was able to get Chourio to fly out and William Contreras to ground into a double play, leaving the Cubs three outs away from a Game 4 win.
The Cubs weren’t done yet however, as Michael Busch hammered a home run to right-center field to extend the Cubs’ lead again, with his fourth home run of the postseason making it a 6-0 game.
Caleb Thielbar slammed the door in the ninth inning, sending the Cubs to a second straight win.
Game 5 of the series will shift back to Milwaukee’s American Family Field, with first pitch set for 7:08 p.m. Central time Saturday.
Want more insights? Join Working Title - our career elevating newsletter and get the future of work delivered weekly.
