Brewers Secure Win Over Cubs; Crow-Armstrong’s Continued MVP Impact

Milwaukee hosted an exhilarating game against the Chicago Cubs as Pete Crow-Armstrong continues his remarkable MVP season. However, much of his MVP performance has not been against the Milwaukee Brewers. Entering Monday’s game at American Family Field, Crow-Armstrong had a .108 average and .422 OPS against Brewers pitching in 2026, and a .164 average and .620 OPS against them over his career.

Brewers’ manager Pat Murphy addressed Crow-Armstrong’s performance. “We’re lucky,” Murphy stated before the Brewers’ 4-3 victory in the series opener. He praised Crow-Armstrong’s overall presence highlighting his offense, defense, and base running. Despite Crow-Armstrong’s homer and two stolen bases during the game, the Brewers maintained their edge with strategic play.

As the game unfolded, Jackson Chourio contributed significantly to the Brewers’ success with a two-run single off reliever Ryan Zeferjahn, turning the eighth inning into a decisive, three-run advantage against Chicago.

Faced with this challenge, Crow-Armstrong executed with skill, hitting his 41st home run of the season in the ninth inning. Chicago’s manager Craig Counsell acknowledged Crow-Armstrong’s high level of play even in the face of defeat.

Despite the anticipated tension between the teams earlier in the season, the competitive intensity has lessened with the Brewers leading the NL Central standings and reducing their magic number towards postseason clinching. The distance in standings has grown, marking the Brewers’ dominance as they continue towards securing playoff positioning.

The Cubs lost ground to the Philadelphia Phillies in the wild-card race, falling behind for the first wild-card spot. Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman expressed the need for focus on future games instead of scoreboard watching.

Bregman had grasped the opportunity with a pivotal single in the eighth inning, giving the Cubs a short-lived lead. Pitcher Matthew Boyd had an outstanding performance, allowing just one run across four hits. Counsell’s choice to keep Boyd on the mound for the eighth inning was notable, as it broke from his routine of taking pitchers out after the seventh. Boyd’s determination was evident as he stated, “I’m in the game until they tell me not to.”

After Boyd issued a walk to Garrett Mitchell and conceded a double to Joey Ortiz, Counsell opted to bring Zeferjahn into play. Chourio’s shot brought home tying and advancing runs, silencing Cubs fans in a crowd of over 42,000.

This marked the 24th blown save by the Cubs bullpen, struggling during a critical phase of the season. With two games remaining in the season series, the Brewers have virtually locked their division lead.

Boyd remained optimistic about the next matchups, emphasizing the importance of tight competition at this time of year. Crow-Armstrong’s stolen bases brought him to 35 for the year, pursuing entry into the exclusive 40-40 club.

Cubs manager Counsell prioritizes calculated risks over statistics, stating that individual goals are secondary to playoff aspirations. While Crow-Armstrong is eager to achieve 40-40 status, he remains mainly focused on team success.

The Cubs face increasing pressure as they fight for playoff seeding with the Brewers pulling ahead. Playing on the road in the wild-card series becomes a reality with every loss, underscoring each game’s significance.

Meanwhile, the Brewers aim for a first-round bye, seeking home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Murphy’s awareness of exhausted young pitchers highlights a balancing act of maintaining vigorous gameplay while nurturing their development. “They don’t know any better,” Murphy shared, thankful for the opportunity to work with eager young players.