There were also fireworks at the first inning at Friendly Confines.
In a NL Central-themed division series that produced 13 first-inning runs over the first two games, the Cubs scored four points in the first quarter Wednesday, sending fans into a frenzy at Wrigley Field desperate for more playoff baseball.
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They are understanding it.
The Cubs held off the Brewers the rest of the game, avoiding elimination with a 4-3 victory. Milwaukee’s lead in the series has been cut to 2-1, and Game 4 will be played in Chicago on Thursday.
In the top of the first inning, the Brewers took a 1-0 lead, thanks in large part to Christian Yelich, who ripped a double from Cubs starter Jameson Taillon into the first base bag and then scored on Sal Frelick’s sacrifice fly.
While veteran Taillon eventually recovered and worked four innings, the same couldn’t be said for the Brewers’ 25-year-old right-hander Quinn Priester after the Chicago native let his nerves get the better of him. Pitching against the team he grew up rooting for, Priester battled command issues and allowed four runs and two walks in 2/3 innings before he was pulled.
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Redeeming himself after missing an infield fly in the sun that advanced Yelich to third, Michael Busch hit a leadoff home run for the second time in the series. Not even the swirling winds at Wrigley could keep this one out of the right field stands.
Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a two-out, two-RBI single to right field that chased down Priester and forced Brewers manager Pat Murphy into an early bullpen game.
In came Nick Mears, the first of five additional Milwaukee arms deployed Wednesday. Almost instantly, Mears threw a wild pitch that catcher William Contreras couldn’t corral as Crow-Armstrong stole second. Ian Happ scored as a result, making the game 4-1.
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The Brewers cut their deficit to three runs throughout the night. Jake Bauers is a big reason.
Bauers had the third of three consecutive hits in the top of the fourth, bringing the speedy Frelick home with a single to center.
Then, in the seventh, he hit 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 in the next inning when it loaded the bases with two outs. Bauers was back on top with the tying run from 90 feet away. Fortunately for Chicago, Brad Keller beat Bauers with a 97 mph four-seam fastball in the zone for a decisive strikeout.
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Keller secured the save with four outs in the ninth and extended the Cubs’ playoff run.