Cubs-Brewers Game 2 takeaways: Milwaukee slugs its way to 2-0 series lead – The New York Times

MLB
William Contreras and Andrew Vaughn of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrate after Vaughn hit a home run during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs in Game 2 of the National League Division Series. Michael Reaves / Getty Images
By Andy McCullough, Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma
MILWAUKEE — A few hours before Monday night’s 7-3 Brewers victory in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, a game which pushed the Cubs to the brink of elimination, Brewers manager Pat Murphy showed why he may not have a future as a prognosticator.
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“We’re not,” he insisted, “going to out-homer teams.”
Except when they do.
The Brewers launched a trio of dingers, all with two outs, to sink the Cubs and thrill the fans at American Family Field. Andrew Vaughn supplied a game-tying, three-run blast in the first inning off Cubs starter Shota Imanaga. William Contreras put the Brewers ahead with a solo shot in the third. And Jackson Chourio, the 21-year-old outfielder nursing a sore hamstring, launched a three-run homer in the fourth to provide a cushion for the Milwaukee bullpen.
The series will resume on Wednesday at Wrigley Field with the Brewers holding a 2-0 lead.
It is true that Milwaukee ranked 22nd in homers this season. But the lineup is capable of generating some pop. The Brewers ranked a more respectable 12th in slugging percentage, and some of their most dynamic hitters were either not performing or not yet on the team early in the season.

Contreras was one of the best hitting catchers in baseball in 2023 and 2024. His numbers dipped this season as he dealt with a thumb injury in the first half. After the All-Star break, he posted an .833 OPS which was more in line with his career norms.
Vaughn did not make his Brewers debut until July 7. He hit nine homers in 64 games, reviving his career after several tough seasons with the Chicago White Sox. In Monday’s first inning, he offered a reminder why the White Sox once chose him with the No. 3 pick.
While other Japanese stars sparked intense bidding wars and fierce recruiting competitions when they decided to chase their MLB dreams, Imanaga largely flew under the radar. The Cubs, fortunately, positioned themselves to land Imanaga, who always stayed one step ahead last season, when he earned an All-Star nod and votes on Rookie of Year and Cy Young Award ballots.
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This year, however, has been good, not great, as some of the big scouting questions from his years in Nippon Professional Baseball have resurfaced at the worst possible time. Only three pitchers allowed more home runs during the regular season than Imanaga (31 over 25 starts), whose north-south approach has not been as sharp or unpredictable.
Handed a three-run lead before he threw his first pitch, Imanaga gave it right back in the first inning when Vaughn launched an 83.7 mph sweeper into the left-field seats. Imanaga would give up another home run to Contreras on a 90.7 mph fastball before getting pulled in the third inning, leaving the Cubs exposed.
Rather than give the start to right-hander Quinn Priester, who finished the season with a 13-3 record and a 3.32 ERA, the Brewers ran a bullpen game. The Cubs threw a wrench into the plan in the first inning. Working as the opener, Aaron Ashby served up a three-run blast to Seiya Suzuki in the fourth at-bat of the game. But Vaughn’s game-tying homer in the bottom of the inning erased the deficit and allowed the rest of the relievers to take the stage.
Pumping fastballs at 104 mph, Jacob Misiorowski handled three scoreless innings in the middle of the evening. He battled his own command as much as he battled the Cubs. Misiorowski gave up a single and walked two batters, but struck out four.
After losing veteran Brandon Woodruff to a lat strain in September, the Brewers were left with three viable starters for their postseason run: Game 1 starter Freddy Peralta, Priester and veteran Jose Quintana. A bullpen game made sense because the team had played just once in the past eight days, and none of the group’s high-leverage relievers were used in the Game 1 romp.
Now Priester can take the ball in Game 3. Peralta would be on regular rest for Game 4, if the Brewers decide to use him.
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The next step for Horton, who’s recovering from a fractured right rib, will be throwing off a mound on Tuesday at Wrigley Field. That session will give the Cubs a better idea of what’s possible with Horton, the rookie pitcher who went 8-1 with a 1.03 ERA in 12 starts following the All-Star break.
When healthy, Horton was trending toward being named the club’s Game 1 starter in the Wild Card Series. His presence, even in shorter bursts, could be extremely valuable if the Cubs somehow find a way to advance.
“Everything is going very well for Cade,” manager Craig Counsell said. “Every throwing session has been pain-free and pushing it a little bit more. So we keep trying to take steps forward, and we’ll continue to do that with even more intensity.”
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