Cubs Ignite Early Firestorm, Cling to Victory in Nail-Biting NLDS Game 3 Thriller Against Brewers

Game 3 of the NLDS shifted venues from Milwaukee to Chicago, but boy, those opening-inning fireworks stayed just as explosive. At Wrigley Field, the Cubs lit up the scoreboard early again, dropping four runs in the first inning and sending the home crowd into a frenzy craving playoff magic.

This NL Central tussle has been nothing short of electric — with a total of 13 first-inning runs scored across the initial two games alone. When the Cubs unleashed that early barrage Wednesday night, it wasn’t just another game; it was a statement— and one that breathed life back into their postseason hopes, trimming Milwaukee’s series lead to 2-1.

Even as Milwaukee clawed back to keep the game tense, the Cubs held firm, edging out a precious 4-3 victory and forcing fans to gear up for Game 4 at Wrigley, coming this Thursday. The drama, the intensity — it’s all far from over.

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The location changed for Game 3 of the NLDS between the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs, but the scoring cadence didn’t. There were first-inning fireworks in the Friendly Confines, too.

In an NL Central division showdown that produced 13 first-inning runs in the first two games, the Cubs put up a four-spot in the opening frame Wednesday, igniting the Wrigley Field fans desperate for more playoff baseball.

They’re getting it.

The Cubs maintained their lead the rest of the way, even as the Brewers chipped away, and staved off elimination with a 4-3 victory. Milwaukee’s series lead is down to 2-1, and Game 4 is Thursday at Wrigley.

In the top of the first inning, the Brewers staked themselves to a 1-0 advantage, in large part thanks to Christian Yelich, who ripped a leadoff double off Cubs starter Jameson Taillon and then scored on a sac fly from Sal Frelick.

While the veteran Taillon ultimately recovered and turned in four innings of work, the same couldn’t be said be said for Brewers 25-year-old righty Quinn Priester after the Chicagoland native let nerves get the best of him. Pitching against the team he grew up rooting for, Priester battled command issues and gave up four runs and two walks in 2/3 of an inning before he was yanked.

Redeeming himself after losing an infield popup in the sun that advanced Yelich to third, Michael Busch blasted a leadoff homer for the second time in the series. Not even swirling Wrigley winds could keep this one out of the right-field bleachers.

Pete Crow-Armstrong smacked a two-out, two-RBI single to right that chased Priester and forced Brewers manager Pat Murphy into a bullpen game early.

In came Nick Mears, the first of five additional Milwaukee arms deployed Wednesday. Almost instantly, Mears fired a wild pitch that catcher William Contreras couldn’t corral while Crow-Armstrong swiped second. Ian Happ scored as a result, making it a 4-1 game.

The Brewers chipped away at their three-run deficit throughout the night. Jake Bauers is a big reason why.

Bauers tacked on the third of three consecutive hits in the top of the fourth, driving home the speedy Frelick with a single to center.

Then in the seventh, he teed off on reliever Andrew Kittredge’s first pitch, sending a solo shot over the left-center wall and cutting the Cubs’ lead to 4-3.

Milwaukee threatened to break hearts the next inning when it loaded the bases with two outs. Bauers was up again with the tying run 90 feet away. Fortunately for Chicago, Brad Keller blew by Bauers with a 97 mph, four-seam fastball up in the zone for a clutch strikeout.

Keller secured the four-out save in the ninth and extended the Cubs’ playoff run.