Chicago Cubs: Explosive Start Keeps Hope Alive in Divisional Series
The Chicago Cubs secured a crucial 4-3 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers, avoiding elimination in the National League Division Series. The team demonstrated its offensive capability by scoring all their runs in the first inning of the game. The Cubs manager, Craig Counsell, joked about the importance of the first inning for his team. “I’m going to tell our guys that every inning is the first inning tomorrow. I think that’s our best formula right now, offensively,” he declared after the game. The Cubs’ initial offensive was led by Michael Busch, who hit a home run to start the game. This was Busch’s second home run as a leadoff hitter in the series, a historic milestone in MLB.Pete Crow-Armstrong also stood out, driving in two runs with a bases-loaded single. “I’m pretty fortunate in some of these elimination games to have really good opportunities in front of me with runners on base, and I think that makes this job a little easier sometimes,” Crow-Armstrong commented. In the first inning, the Cubs sent nine batters to the plate and saw 53 pitches, the most in a playoff game since pitch data began being recorded in 1988. Reliever Brad Keller closed out the game in the ninth inning, securing the victory and keeping the Cubs’ hopes alive in the series, which is now 2-1. Game 4 will be played on Thursday night.“From the moment I was put in that spot, I thought, ‘Why change what I do? Just have a good at-bat, stay aggressive, trust my eyes'”, Busch said.
Michael Busch
