Cub score in 1st inning, hang on for 4-3 win to stay alive against Brewers

Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a tiebreaking two-run single and the Chicago Cubs avoided a sweep by holding off the Milwaukee Brewers for a 4-3 victory in Game 3 of their NL Division Series on Wednesday.

Crow-Armstrong’s two-out swing was part of a four-run first inning for Chicago — continuing a wild trend. Michael Busch kicked off the rally by becoming the first player in major league history with multiple leadoff homers in a single postseason series.

The matchup of NL Central rivals is the first postseason series in which both teams scored in the first in each of the first three games. Game 4 is on Thursday night.

Jake Bauers rallied Milwaukee with an RBI single in the fourth and a leadoff drive in the seventh. Milwaukee loaded the bases in the eighth, but Brad Keller escaped the jam when he struck out Bauers on a foul tip on a 97 mph fastball. Keller then retired the side in order in the ninth for the save.

A single by Nico Hoerner and walks for Kyle Tucker and Ian Happ loaded the bases for Crow-Armstrong, who chased Priester with a liner to right. Happ made it 4-1 when he scampered home on a wild pitch from Nick Mears.

The Brewers went 2 for 9 with runners in scoring position and left seven runners on base. The Cubs went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position and also stranded seven baserunners.

Both managers declined to announce their starting pitcher for Thursday.



(AP Photo Nam Huh)