Cubs Fall Behind in NL Central After Loss to Brewers

Two weeks ago, the Chicago Cubs were enjoying another 10-game winning streak of the season. Things have quickly changed. For the first time since April 30, when they last had a 10-game win streak, the Cubs are not on top of the National League Central standings. This shift came after a 5-2 defeat to the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday, allowing the Brewers to advance past their rivals. The Cubs have lost four games in a row, securing only two victories out of their last ten games. Their next challenge is to avoid a sweep at Wrigley Field on Wednesday.

“Every year has periods like that,” said Ian Happ, who went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and a walk. “Even though our record remains good, winning every series would feel more consistent. There are positives and negatives to winning ten in a row twice and having the current record, but overall, we’re nine games over .500 and in a solid spot. If given the choice, everyone would agree to this record at this point in the season. We need to move forward and focus on tomorrow.”

On Tuesday, Cubs starter Ben Brown faced the Brewers. Chicago’s offense struggled again in crucial situations, a frustrating pattern during this slump. Jacob Misiorowski, a hard-throwing right-hander, was challenging. He allowed only three hits and one walk while striking out eight in six innings. The Cubs missed opportunities to challenge Misiorowski early on. In the first inning, Nico Hoerner walked, and Michael Busch reached on an error. The Cubs put pressure on Misiorowski, but Alex Bregman flew out, and Happ and Seiya Suzuki struck out to end the inning. The Cubs did not place another runner in scoring position until the eighth inning.

Manager Craig Counsell noted, “We took some good swings and narrowly missed some balls, but then Misiorowski settled in. He has strikeout material and commanded the zone well, forcing us to be aggressive. Sitting with two strikes is a tough spot against him.”

The Cubs found some encouragement in Ben Brown’s performance despite the loss. A sequence in the fourth inning stood out. Over the last two years, a strong Brown outing often fell apart due to a single poor inning. The team believes adding a sinker and using a changeup alongside his fastball-curveball combination will stabilize his pitching by making it less predictable. Brown faced a tough challenge since joining the rotation. He entered the game with two straight four-inning shutout performances against the Texas Rangers and Atlanta Braves. The Brewers scored three runs in the first three innings and threatened a bigger lead in the fourth.

Pete Crow-Armstrong’s dropped fly ball and David Hamilton’s infield single, with his bunt bouncing high off the plate, set the Brewers up. In previous seasons, Brown might have unraveled at that point. However, he remained composed. Facing the top of the Brewers lineup, Brown struck out Jackson Chourio and Brice Turang, then forced William Contreras to ground out, ending the fourth while keeping the score at 3-0. Manager Counsell praised Brown, stating, “Ben made some good pitches despite some hits and got himself out of trouble. His ability to strike out opponents kept us in the game. He’s growing, and this was another strong performance.”

Brown completed five innings, allowing three runs, resulting in a season ERA of 2.09. This performance gave the Cubs a chance to reduce their deficit. “I felt I minimized the damage well,” Brown commented. “Aside from needing better execution after a wild pitch in the third, I was pleased with how I pitched tonight. There are learning opportunities, but I’m satisfied with my execution.”

Misiorowski’s pitching made the Cubs’ task nearly impossible. His fastball, averaging 99.6 mph and reaching 101.5 mph, resulted in 14 called strikes, six whiffs, and six of his eight strikeouts. The Cubs managed only one runner in scoring position during his six innings.

Happ remarked, “Facing someone who throws over 100 mph in the zone means not needing to be too precise. He’s been effective due to this skill.” Despite Misiorowski’s dominance, the Cubs mourned their missed chances. In the eighth inning, the first three batters reached base, with Hoerner’s single putting the Cubs on the scoreboard. However, Busch and Bregman struck out against lefty Aaron Ashby. Another big inning seemed possible when Happ walked and Suzuki drove in a run. But right-hander Chad Patrick extinguished the rally quickly. Pinch-hitter Michael Conforto grounded into a forceout to end the eighth, and Abner Uribe retired the Cubs in order in the ninth.

“We’ve got 115 games left; the Brewers outplayed us in the first two games,” Counsell stated. “We must regroup and aim to win the next game.”