First-inning offense in focus as Cubs try to even NLDS vs. Brewers

The Chicago Cubs have started fast in each of the first three games of the National League Division Series, but they have only one win to show for it. They will look to bolt out of the blocks once again in Game 4 on Thursday when they attempt to even their best-of-five series against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers. Michael Busch belted a homer to lead off the series opener and the Cubs scored three runs in the first inning of Game 2, only to lose both contests. Busch went deep to open Game 3 as part of a four-run first inning, and Chicago held on for a 4-3 victory on Wednesday. "I'm going to tell our guys it's the first inning every inning (on Thursday)," Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. "I think that's our best formula right now offensively. "But Michael's … look, you can just tell how they manage the game. He's become the guy in the lineup that everyone's thinking about, and they're pitching around him, and that's a credit to the player. … He's put us off to a great start in a whole bunch of these games." Busch, who led the team with 34 homers during the regular season, has gone deep three times in the playoffs. "I thought we were just locked in from the beginning," Busch said. "They happened to give us four runs to win it, but I thought right off the bat, all nine of us kind of gave really good at-bats." Unfortunately for the Cubs, the Brewers also have started quickly in the series. Milwaukee erupted for six runs in the first inning of Game 1, matched Chicago's three-run output in the opening frame of Game 2 and scratched for a run in the first inning of Game 3. So that begs the question: Who will start Game 4 for each team? Well, neither team tipped its hand in the postgame press conferences and locker room interviews on Wednesday. For Milwaukee, right-hander Freddy Peralta would be in line to take the mound on four days' rest should he get the nod. Peralta (1-0, 3.18 ERA postseason) followed up a 17-win regular season by allowing two runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings in a 9-3 victory over the Cubs in the series opener on Saturday. Peralta, 29, finished 3-1 with a 3.43 ERA in four regular-season starts vs. Chicago this season. He is 9-3 with a 3.21 ERA in 22 career regular-season appearances (17 starts) against the Cubs. Chicago left-hander Matthew Boyd likely will get the nod Thursday in a rematch of the series opener. Boyd (0-1, 5.40 ERA postseason) would love a better result after permitting six runs, two earned, on four hits in two-thirds of an inning on Saturday. In that contest, he was pitching on three days' rest for the first time this year. Boyd, 34, went 1-1 with a 7.84 ERA in two regular-season starts vs. Milwaukee in 2025. He is 2-2 with a 9.00 ERA in five career regular-season appearances (all starts) against the Brewers. Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers is 1-for-11 in his career against Boyd. Bauers homered and drove in two runs on Wednesday, but he failed to come through with the bases loaded in the eighth, striking out to end the inning. "Obviously going down three in the first (inning) is not good, but no one in there lost confidence," Bauers said. –Field Level Media

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