The Milwaukee Brewers Advance to 2025 NLCS

Game 2 was just as impressive of a showing from the Brewers, but they did it in a different way.

The Brewers once again demonstrated their resilience. Seiya Suzuki smacked a three-run homer in the top of the first inning, putting the Cubs on top from the get go once more.

But the Brewers fought right back. Following a pair of strikeouts to start the bottom of the first, the Brewers strung together back-to-back two-out singles, setting the stage for Andrew Vaughn to have his signature moment.

Vaughn launched a game-tying, three-run blast to tie the game in the bottom half of the first. It was just the spark Milwaukee needed to get back on track.

The Brewers took Game 2 by a score of 7-3, and this time all seven of their runs came via home runs. Contreras launched a go-ahead solo shot in the bottom of the third inning, and Chourio delivered the final blow with a three-run bomb of his own in the bottom of the fourth.

It was an important victory in more ways than one. Of course, getting ahead 2-0 in a best-of-five series was extremely valuable, but it was also a game where the Brewers showed that they can slug their way to a win.

Any concerns of whether or not this Brewers team had enough pop to make a run this October were put to rest in Game 2.

But baseball is often a humbling sport, and the Cubs weren’t going down with a fight. The series was headed to Chicago, where the Cubs would make a statement of their own.

A Vibe Shift In Wrigley

Game 3 was where the whole series shifted in Chicago’s favor.

The Cubs grabbed all of the momentum early. Chicago won Game 3 by a score of 4-3, highlighted by a four-run bottom of the first. The Brewers tried to chip away, but the Cubs’ pitching staff did a terrific job of fending off a comeback.

Game 4 was all Chicago. Ian Happ blasted a monumental three-run homer in the bottom of the first to put the Cubs ahead, and they never looked back. The Brewers’ offense looked out of sorts, and solo homers from Kyle Tucker and Busch helped lead the Cubs to a commanding 6-0 win, forcing a winner-takes-all Game 5 at American Family Field.

The Cubs were playing with confidence, and they were playing to win. The Brewers were playing hesitantly, and they were playing not to lose. Frankly, it felt as if Milwaukee’s postseason demons were going to strike again following their defeat in Game 4.

But if there’s one word to describe the 2025 Milwaukee Brewers, it’s undaunted. Much like they did all season long, the Brewers responded in a huge way in Game 5 in front of their home crowd.

A Resilient Game 5 Performance

The tension was palpable inside American Family Field. Given the scoring barrage that occurred in the first inning throughout the series, a clean first was a key hurdle to clear for the Brewers to build momentum.

Closer Trevor Megill knew the importance of that, and he delivered for the Brewers with a three up, three down top of the first inning. A collective sigh of relief was heard from the Brewers faithful.

The Brewers got out to an early 1-0 lead thanks to a Contreras solo home run in the bottom of the first, but Suzuki promptly answered back with a solo homer of his own in the top of the second on the second pitch he saw from Jacob Misiorowski.

The Brewers didn’t let that derail their momentum, though. They were resilient, and the team buckled down to finish the job.

Thanks to stupendous pitching performances from rookies Chad Patrick and Misiorowski, Milwaukee’s pitching staff shut down Chicago hitters after Suzuki’s homer. Miz ended up giving the Brewers four strong innings, while Patrick came in and saved the season with some impressive high-leverage pitching.

On the other side of the ball, the offense kept the foot on the gas.

Vaughn once again continued to be the hero this team needed. He added a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth inning to put the Brewers ahead 2-1. Then, Brice Turang, who was really struggling in this series, added a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh off the batter’s eye.

It was at that moment that hope started to really settle in.

Abner Uribe came into the game in the eighth inning and gave the Brewers two scoreless innings to shut the door on the Cubs, put the finishing touches on an incredibly competitive series, and send the Milwaukee Brewers back to the NLCS.

It’s hard to articulate how important this series victory was for the Brewers.

This is an organization that has struggled to make it out of their first postseason series despite their regular season success. This is a group of players that just put up the best regular season in franchise history. This is a fanbase that has long deserved to see this team finally get over the hump in October.

When the Brewers rushed the field following Carson Kelly’s 6-3 putout, it felt like a magical moment. It felt like this team may have finally exorcised its postseason demons.

A Rematch With the Dodgers

This is the first time the Brewers have reached the NLCS since 2018, when they faced off against none other than the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Brewers fell to Los Angeles in seven games that year, marking the start of their upcoming stretch of postseason woes.

The Brewers went a clean 6-0 head-to-head against the Dodgers in the regular season. Los Angeles just beat the Phillies in four games despite not playing their best baseball. The Brewers may be heading into this series as underdogs, but perhaps they are at their best when the odds are stacked against them.

The David vs. Goliath narrative often gets thrown around too loosely in the sports world. However, this matchup truly feels like the best representation of that story.

The Dodgers have the highest payroll in Major League Baseball. They are the reigning World Series champs who added even more premier talent to their roster this past offseason. Their star talent is off the charts, and they have a worldwide brand that transcends American sports.

The Brewers are one of the smallest markets in professional sports. They rank 22nd in MLB payroll, and while they have plenty of talent throughout their roster, much of their success this season stems from “the power of friendship,” as Pat Murphy likes to describe it.

These have been two of the best teams in baseball all season long, and now they get to face off in a best-of-seven series for the National League pennant. Boy, are we in for a treat.

Getting Over the Hump

There’s been a certain type of magic surrounding this ball club all season long. But despite all of the success, their postseason track record still loomed large when it came to buying into this team in October.

There’s been Brewers teams in years past that have felt like teams of destiny, but those seasons ended in heartbreak and disappointment. Who’s to say that this year was going to be any different?

Their series victory over Chicago showed that this team is different.

This team rose to the occasion when the stakes were highest, when the pressure was at its peak. This series was the perfect representation of what this team is made of.

It was buy in from everybody on the pitching staff. It was rookies showing up on the biggest stage in the game’s biggest moments. It was the offense putting together quality at-bats and putting on a display of terrific situational hitting. It was even slugging, an area that many feared this team didn’t have the ability to do.

It was the power of friendship, and now they will look to continue their storybook season in the Championship Series against baseball’s most intimidating opponent.