The Milwaukee Brewers secured a 4-3 victory against the Chicago Cubs on Monday at American Family Field. Despite an impressive performance from Pete Crow-Armstrong, who homered and stole two bases, the Cubs couldn’t overcome the Brewers.
Brewers’ Strategy Against Crow-Armstrong
Crow-Armstrong began the game with a .108 average and a .422 OPS against Brewers pitching in 2026. Throughout his career, he has averaged .164 and an OPS of .620 against them. Brewers manager Pat Murphy attributes their success to luck, recognizing Crow-Armstrong as the best offensive player this year due to his all-around skills in offense, defense, and base running.
Game Highlights
In the eighth inning, the Brewers secured a lead with Jackson Chourio’s two-run single off Cubs reliever Ryan Zeferjahn. Although Crow-Armstrong hit his 41st home run in the ninth, the Cubs could not capitalize further. The Brewers’ tight defense, including Chourio’s crucial catch, sealed their victory.
Implications for Postseason
The win extended the Brewers’ lead over the Cubs in the NL Central standings to eight games. The Brewers aim to clinch their postseason position, reducing their magic number for postseason berth to four and for the NL Central to ten. Meanwhile, the Cubs fell half a game behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the first wild-card slot, affecting their home-field advantage.
Cubs’ Perspective
Cubs manager Craig Counsell expressed their focus on winning upcoming games. Keeping Matthew Boyd in the game into the eighth inning was a strategic move, showcasing a need for improved bullpen performance.
Looking Ahead
Crow-Armstrong aims to join the elite 40-40 club, having reached 40 home runs and needing only five more stolen bases. The Cubs, now vying for postseason seeding, face an uphill battle against Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski in their next matchup.
Brewers’ Young Pitchers
The Brewers are benefiting from their young starters performing well despite fatigue from career-high innings. Murphy highlights the excitement and growth opportunities with a youthful pitching staff, emphasizing their potential heading into critical games.