MILWAUKEE -- After failing to keep Cubs hitters in the ballpark during the first inning of each of the first four games of the National League Division Series, the Brewers tried something novel in the winner-take-all Game 5 on Saturday night.
All-Star closer Trevor Megill made the start in Milwaukee's 3-1 series-clinching win and did the seemingly impossible. He kept Cubs hitters in the ballpark and off the scoreboard in the opening inning for the first time in the series.
“It was more, ‘Let’s put a zero up,’ and that was it,” Megill said in the Brewers’ clubhouse postgame. “Whatever comes behind that comes behind that.”
What came behind it was the best pitching performance of the series for the Brewers, anchored by rookies Jacob Misiorowski and Chad Patrick. The whole series had been a battle of trying to play catchup after the Cubs struck early. In Game 5, the Crew got a much-needed zero and a quick lead in the home half of the inning, thanks to a William Contreras home run.
“We just needed to settle down in the game,” Christian Yelich said. “We felt like, before the game, we were talking if we could just get this game underway and we can throw a zero in the first inning, we can settle this thing down a little bit, we really like our chances to go out there and execute and push a few across. We were talking amongst ourselves tonight, like, just play our game, we're going to execute, Trev is going to go out and throw a zero and we'll be off and running. That's kind of what happened.”
Megill has started as an opener for the Brewers before, but that was prior to his breakthrough as fill-in closer last season while Devin Williams rehabbed a back injury and an equally successful run as Milwaukee’s full-time closer in 2025, when Megill compiled a 2.49 ERA and 30 saves during a regular season interrupted near the end by a strained right flexor. He was able to make it back for an inning of relief against the Reds in the regular-season finale, which set up Megill to be on the NLDS roster.
Abner Uribe assumed closer duties while Megill was down and was rested and ready for that role in Game 5 -- working two scoreless innings to shut the door on the Cubs.
“The pitching guys, myself and [general manager] Matt Arnold, we just sat in a room and just talked about the possibilities and considered a ton of factors,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said before the game. “But we settled on Megill. He was going to pitch tonight regardless.”
Murphy referenced one of the Brewers’ many mantras that wound up on clubhouse T-shirts throughout their 97-win regular season: “The power of friendship.”
Megill came up with that one during an interview at the All-Star Game to describe the Brewers’ success, and it stuck.
“He started it all,” Murphy said. “We thought it would be a good way to start.”
It was a great way to start. Megill made his usual closer’s entrance from the bullpen while American Family Field roared, then retired Michael Busch and Nico Hoerner on fly outs before striking out Kyle Tucker with a 98.9 mph fastball -- the firmest of Megill’s 11 pitches.
With that, Megill raised his arms and let out a roar. For the first time in the series, a zero went on the scoreboard for the Cubs in the first inning.
Megill had already pitched twice in this NLDS before Saturday, retiring both batters he faced in the eighth inning of the Brewers’ 7-3 win in Game 2 in Milwaukee and facing three batters while recording one out in the fifth inning of Game 4 on Thursday in Chicago. He threw 12 pitches in the latter outing.
“They could have picked out of a hat anybody, and I would have had the same feeling, right? Anyone on this team is going to go out there and execute for us,” said Brewers right fielder Sal Frelick. “I couldn't be happier Trevor's getting the ball. We've seen it all year, he's just a dog on the mound. Just go out, let him do his thing, and whatever happens, happens. But we'll have his back defensively regardless, so it should be good.”
One could understand the Brewers’ early urgency on Saturday. The Cubs are the first team in MLB history to homer in the first inning of four straight games of a single postseason series.
Megill started opposite an opener for the Cubs, left-hander Drew Pomeranz, who pitched for the Brewers during the second half of 2019 following a trade from the Giants, and went six up, six down for Milwaukee during the 2019 NL Wild Card Game at the Nationals before the lead got away from Josh Hader in what was the first of five consecutive postseason one-and-dones for the Brewers. Pomeranz went into the night having retired 23 consecutive hitters dating back to the regular season. He retired his first two before Contreras homered.
“I think both sides are acknowledging that the first inning is a pretty big inning in this series,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said.
After missing two chances to win the series at Wrigley Field, the Brewers snapped that streak back home.
“This is kind of what you dream of -- Game 5s, Game 7s, stuff like that,” Frelick said. “I don't think it's the worst thing ever to feed off the emotion and feed off the crowd, especially playing at home. At the same time, you want to do your job and stay focused, and that's important. But yeah, it should be a good environment.”
Speaking of dramatic Game 5s, both managers said they stayed up late Friday to watch the epic 15-inning ALDS finale that sent Seattle on to the ALCS. Counsell said he was glad he was watching because of the reminder to have a plan for every scenario, no matter how improbable. And Murphy saw other lessons while watching with his young sons.
“It gave me some ideas even today -- you can see guys trying to get a result instead of just play the pitch,” Murphy said. “It's easy to say, but I think the worst possible outcome in these games is not just a loss. The worst possible outcome is the regret of not being able to find your focus and be in the right mindset.
“That regret is maybe even worse than the loss, because the loss can happen -- you can play good and lose. But find your best self in there.”