At the end of the day, the Brewers were better.
Christian Yelich had an unreal run in the second half and came up big in Game 163, so did Milwaukee’s bullpen.
Jose Quintana pitched five innings for the Cubs and gave up one run, while Jhoulys Chacin went 5.2 innings and also only gave up only one run. Game 163 to determine the winner of the division came down to the bullpens and the Brewers were better.
Jesse Chavez pitched two scoreless innings for the Cubs, but after him Justin Wilson started the eighth and on an 0-2 pitch he threw a slider that Orlando Arcia knocked into the outfield for a leadoff hit. Domingo Santana followed up with a double and in came Steve Cishek to face Lorenzo Cain.
We say Lo, you say LEAD! #ThisIsMyCrew #OurCrewOurOctober pic.twitter.com/Leh1sJAvbT
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) October 1, 2018
That was the game. Wilson needed to shut them down and he didn’t. Cishek needed a way to work out of trouble like Joakim Soria did by striking out Javier Baez earlier with two on and two outs, but Cishek didn’t. Brandon Kintzler gave up another run later in the eighth to make it 3-1.
BRAUNY! His single in the 8th adds another and the Crew now leads 3-1. #ThisIsMyCrew #OurCrewOurOctober pic.twitter.com/sgnSks6jQ1
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) October 1, 2018
It’s not all on the Cubs bullpen either. The Cubs only got three hits in the most important game of the season, an Anthony Rizzo solo home run, a Daniel Murphy two-out single in the sixth and a Javier Baez two-out single in the ninth. Obviously that won’t cut it, but sadly that’s become the norm during the last few weeks.
The Cubs will now await the loser of the other Game 163 tonight, as the Rockies play the Dodgers in Los Angeles. The loser will play the Cubs in the Wild Card Game tomorrow night at Wrigley Field.
Hopefully Jon Lester can pitch a complete game tomorrow.
