Jackson Chourio delivered four hits, including his 21st home run of the season, as the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Chicago Cubs 9-5 for a second consecutive victory in the divisional series.
Milwaukee answers after rough opener
The Brewers had lost the series opener 17-3, but responded with stronger at-bats and a more effective bullpen. Chourio set the tone, while Joey Ortiz, Andrew Vaughn, William Contreras, Christian Yelich and Cooper Pratt all contributed to the scoring.
Milwaukee produced 14 hits and built its advantage against Chicago starter David Peterson, who was charged with six runs in 3⅔ innings. The Cubs received four RBIs from Alex Bregman, including his 24th homer, but could not sustain the pressure.
Bullpen protects the lead
Brewers starter Jacob Misiorowski allowed five earned runs in four innings, creating an early challenge. Five Milwaukee relievers then combined for five scoreless innings. JoJo Romero earned the win as the bullpen prevented Chicago from mounting a late comeback.
The performance highlighted Milwaukee’s depth. Even without a long outing from its starter, the club controlled the final five frames and continued adding insurance runs.
Division implications
Reuters reported that Milwaukee improved to 87-53, the best record in Major League Baseball, and opened a nine-game National League Central lead over the 78-62 Cubs with 22 games remaining.
That margin gives the Brewers significant control of the division race, although the remaining schedule still demands consistency. For Chicago, converting scoring chances and stabilising the rotation will be central to protecting its postseason position.
