Brewers Rally Past Cubs in Game 1, Set Stage for Crucial NL Central Showdown

MLB Schedule

Cubs @ Brewers on Tuesday, Jul 29, 2025 at 04:40 PM PDT

📰 Game 2: Cubs @ Brewers — July 29, 2025

The second game of their critical three‑game NL Central series (Milwaukee leads Chicago by a game in the division) tip‑off tonight. The opener was played just last night in Milwaukee.

🔍 Recap: Game 1 — July 28, 2025

Brewers 8, Cubs 4
The Brewers bounced back from a tough first inning to secure a key win and move into first place in the division.

How it unfolded:

Early disaster for Misiorowski: Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski — already an All-Star — allowed two unearned runs and another earned after just three batters, loading the bases in the first inning. The Cubs took a 3–0 lead due to a wild pitch and a throwing error.(Reuters)
Milwaukee’s third-inning surge: They answered in the 3rd with four runs, powered by:
- A Christian Yelich RBI double,
- Isaac Collins’ two-run single,
- Brice Turang’s sacrifice fly to take a 4–3 lead.
Back-to-back homers: Andrew Vaughn (5th inning) and Sal Frelick (6th) added solo shots to push the lead to 6–3.
Cubs fight back briefly: Kyle Tucker’s RBI single in the 7th narrowed it to 6–4, but Yelich delivered again with a two‑run homer in the bottom half — his 20th of the season — to restore a four-run cushion.(Reuters)
Bullpen closes: Misiorowski settled in, finishing with seven strikeouts and three scoreless innings after the first. Nick Mears earned the win; Trevor Megill locked down his 24th save by striking out Seiya Suzuki with two on in the 9th.

Impact:

With this win, Milwaukee improves to 63–43 and takes a one-game lead over the Cubs (62–44) atop the NL Central.
The game underscores the heated “I‑94 Rivalry” between the two clubs, divided by only 83 miles and often fiercely contested.

📝 Preview: Game 2 — What to Watch Tonight

While both teams will settle into tonight’s matchup after one game apiece, here are the key storylines to follow:

🔁 Pitching Matchups

Brewers likely continue with a strong bullpen after Misiorowski’s rebound showing and steady relief from Mears and Megill.
Cubs counter with Matthew Boyd (who struggled early in Game 1: five walks, five earned runs)— expect better command.(Reuters, Bleacher Nation)

🔄 Momentum Shifts

Milwaukee showed grit erasing a 3–0 deficit; Chicago’s inability to capitalize beyond their early lead may dampen morale.
The Brewers’ middle-order bats (Yelich, Collins, Vaughn, Frelick) remained productive even when hitting from behind.

⚾ Players to Watch:

Christian Yelich: Already his 20th homer; remains a consistent catalyst.
Isaac Collins: Delivered a clutch two-run single under pressure.
Kyle Tucker: His solo RBI gave Chicago a short-lived spark.
Trevor Megill: A rugged closer with 24 saves in 27 chances.(MLB.com)

🔮 Division Ramifications

A second loss would swing control of the NL Central firmly into Brewers’ hands.
A Cubs victory could even the series, tie the standings, and shift pressure back to Milwaukee for Game 3.

📊 Big‑Game Takeaways

Resilience wins the day: Milwaukee survived a first-inning collapse and turned it into a controlled comeback.
Cubs must avoid slow starts: Early mistakes proved costly—and homers from Bryce Vaughn and Frelick followed.
Relief dominance matters: From Misiorowski’s recovery to Megill’s closing strikeout, the Brewers’ bullpen was critical.
Momentum-swinging homers: Yelich’s brace, plus solo shots from Vaughn and Frelick, quieted the Cubs’ lineup.

🏁 Conclusion

The Brewers grabbed Game 1 in decisive fashion and now aim to take two of three to cement their hold on the division. The Cubs must rebound tonight with clutch pitching and better execution in late innings to keep their playoff hopes alive. Expect a charged atmosphere at American Family Field as this pivotal NL Central series continues.