Ian Happ Powers Chicago Cubs To Victory, Forces Game 5 In Milwaukee

Ian Happ’s first-inning three-run home run set the tone early for the Chicago Cubs in their 6-0 Game 4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. The win ties the National League Division Series matchup at two games apiece and sets up a Game 5 back in Milwaukee on Saturday. Matthew Boyd and four Cub relievers shut out the Brewers, allowing just three hits. Here is what went down on Thursday night at Wrigley.

Happ Continues Cubs’ First Inning Trend

The Cubs have now homered in the first inning of every game of their NLDS series against Milwaukee. After a Nico Hoerner single and a Kyle Tucker walk, Happ delivered a three-run bomb to right field to give Chicago the early lead. The Cubs did not score again until the sixth inning, when rookie Third Baseman Matt Shaw would slap a single into shallow center field to score Carson Kelly.

The Cubs added solo homers from Kyle Tucker in the seventh and Michael Busch in the eighth en route to the 6-0 win. For Busch, it was his third home run of the series, and his fourth in the 2025 postseason. Happ had struggled mightily in the 2025 playoffs coming into the game. Through six postseason games, Happ was hitting just .095. He had just two hits and 11 strikeouts in 21 at-bats, though the two hits were a solo home run and a double.

The Cubs’ Starting Pitching Finally Shows Up

Chicago finally got a solid performance from a starting pitcher in the series. After Boyd only lasted two-thirds of an inning in Game 1, many thought he was out of gas. Because of injuries and the pandemic-shortened season, he hadn’t started more than 15 games in a season since 2019. Last season, Boyd didn’t make his first start until mid-August after recovering from a 2023 Tommy John surgery. He made eight regular-season starts and three postseason starts for the Cleveland Indians before signing with the Cubs in the off-season.

Boyd then made 31 starts for Chicago in the regular season. He was the Cubs’ best starter for most of the season before struggling in late August and most of September. The 34-year-old lefty looked sharp on Thursday, though. He struck out six while allowing just two hits and three walks over four and two-thirds innings.

Cubs Manager Craig Counsell elected to pull Boyd in the fifth with runners on second and third and two outs. Daniel Palencia got the final out of the inning and pitched a scoreless sixth. Drew Pomeranz, Brad Keller, and Caleb Thielbar followed with scoreless innings of their own to close out the game.

Milwaukee Struggles In All Facets

The Brewers failed to close out the Cubs for a second straight game. Milwaukee’s pitching allowed 10 hits and six walks over eight innings, and the team was lucky to give up only five earned runs. The defense did not help, as a sixth-inning Caleb Durbin error led to a sixth run. Starter Freddy Peralta lasted just four innings, giving up three earned runs while striking out six. The Brewers’ offense went cold as well. The Brew Crew managed only three hits off of Cub pitching, and only one extra-base hit, a fifth-inning Sal Frelick double.

Game 5

The deciding Game 5 is scheduled for a 7:08 p.m. first pitch at American Family Field in Milwaukee on Saturday. As things stand right now, the Brewers are scheduled to start Jose Quintana. The Cubs are slated to send Shota Imanaga to the mound. As it is the deciding game of the series, those starters may change by Saturday. The winner of Game 5 will face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series on Monday, October 13. The Dodgers knocked off the Phillies earlier Thursday to punch their ticket to the NLCS.