Brewers jump out to early lead and cruise to 9-3 win over Cubs in NLDS opener

VIDEO SHOWS: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MLB GAME BETWEEN MILWAUKEE BREWERS AND CHICAGO CUBS SHOTLIST TO FOLLOW SHOWS: MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 4, 2025) (MLB – See restrictions before use) STORY: Ace right-hander Freddy Peralta shook off a leadoff homer and pitched effectively into the sixth inning to pace the Milwaukee Brewers to a 9-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday (October 4)  in the opener of their best-of-five National League Division Series. Cubs starter Matthew Boyd (0-1) failed to get out of a six-run Milwaukee first inning. The Brewers added three runs in the second, batting around in both innings to go in front 9-1. Peralta (1-0), who led the National League with 17 victories during the regular season, allowed two runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings, striking out nine and walking three in a 95-pitch outing. He allowed the opening homer by Michael Busch and a two-out solo homer in the sixth by Ian Happ. By the time Happ hit his solo homer and Nico Hoerner added a solo homer for Chicago off Jared Koenig in the eighth, the game was long since over. The Brewers answered Busch's homer with six runs off Boyd in the bottom of the first. Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang and William Contreras opened with consecutive doubles to put Milwaukee up 2-1. Andrew Vaughn walked with one out, then Contreras scored when second baseman Hoerner booted Sal Frelick's grounder. With two outs, Blake Perkins capped an 11-pitch at-bat with an RBI single to center to make the score 4-1 and chase Boyd after 30 pitches. Michael Soroka relieved and walked Joey Ortiz to load the bases. Chourio followed with a two-run single to left to make it 6-1 — Hoerner's error making the final four runs unearned. Milwaukee made the score 9-1 in the second. Contreras, Yelich and Vaughn opened with consecutive singles to load the bases. Caleb Durbin drove in two runs with a one-out single to make it 8-1. Aaron Civale relieved Soroka and Chourio beat out an infield RBI single to third – making him the first player in postseason history to register three hits in the first two innings. Boyd registered just two outs while allowing six runs (two earned) on four hits, one walk and one strikeout. Soroka gave up three runs on five hits in one inning, walking two in a 38-pitch outing. Chourio, who missed most of August with a strained right hamstring, was removed for a pinch runner after legging out that infield single. Chourio was diagnosed with right hamstring tightness and underwent an MRI. The second game of the best-of-five series will be in Milwaukee on Monday night. (Production: David Grip)

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