Brewers lean on home field for crucial NLDS decider vs. Cubs

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Brewers will be looking to their hard-earned homefield advantage as they try to stave off the Chicago Cubs in the decisive fifth game of the National League Division Series on Saturday night. Seemingly in control after winning the first two games in Milwaukee between the Central Division rivals, the Brewers now face elimination after the Cubs evened the series with a 6-0 shutout at home Thursday. Ian Happ's three-run homer in the first inning off Brewers ace Freddy Peralta set the tone for the Cubs, who got 4 2/3 scoreless innings from Matthew Boyd in a rematch of Game 1 starters. "I'm proud we're in the spot we're in … we're five wins away from the World Series," said Brewers manager Pat Murphy on Friday. "I learned a lot about this team, and one thing is it's resilient and they bounce back." Neither team has announced a starter for the game that will send the winner into the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers. "I think this is a game where we're going to have everybody available, maybe with the exception of Matt Boyd," said Cubs manager Craig Counsell on Friday. "Everyone is going to be available. It's cliche here, but I'm going to tell you, we've got 11 pitchers to figure out how to get 27 outs. That's how we're treating it." After the first two games, the Brewers' pitching staff appeared to be in good shape despite the absence of injured starter Brandon Woodruff. However, a disastrous start in Game 3 by Quinn Priester, who recorded only two outs in a 4-3 loss, and using Peralta on four days' rest, has left them scrambling for Game 5. The Brewers cobbled together a bullpen game in Game 2, using seven pitchers, then six with the Priester meltdown and five in the Game 4 loss. Hard-throwing rookie Jacob Misiorowski, who earned the win in Game 2 with three innings of scoreless relief, is expected to pitch at some point Saturday. He allowed one hit, walked two and struck out four of the 12 batters he faced. Misiorowski, who made the All-Star team after just five major league starts but struggled in the second half, threw 31 of his 57 pitches at 100 mph or more in Game 2, reaching a high of 104.3 mph. "We know exactly — those who follow it every day, we know exactly where Miz is at and what we'd like him to do, and I think he fits in the plan for sure," Murphy said. Shota Imanaga, who lasted just 2 2/3 innings in Game 2 for the Cubs, allowing four runs, including two homers, would be available on four days' rest, but Counsell would not commit. The Cubs have scored 11 runs in the first inning of the series and have belted eight home runs, including three by Michael Busch and two by Happ. The Brewers have four homers, with three coming in Game 2. Nico Hoerner is hitting .471 (8-for-17) and Kyle Tucker .333 (4-for-12), each with four runs scored. After scoring 16 runs in the two victories at home, the Brewers managed just three runs in the two losses in Chicago. Milwaukee was 9-for-20 with runners in scoring position in the first two games, but just 2-for-13 in the two losses. Brewers second baseman Brice Turang, who hit .288 during the regular season, is just 2-for-16 (.125) in the NLDS. Milwaukee, which finished five games ahead of the Cubs with a franchise-record 97 victories, has the No. 1 overall seed and homefield advantage for the entire postseason. The Brewers are in the playoffs for the seventh time in eight seasons but have not won a playoff series since the NLDS in 2018. –Jim Hoehn, Field Level Media

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