Cubs clinch first postseason berth since 2020 with 8-4 win at Pittsburgh

The wait was five years. It seemed longer.

In the middle of a darkened visitors clubhouse at PNC Park, the Chicago Cubs embraced each other. Champagne flowed and flew. They clinched a postseason berth for the first time since 2020, but celebrated for the first time since 2017.

Everything was muted during the coronavirus pandemic when the Cubs last qualified. They held off after making it in 2018, hoping to win the NL Central, just to finish second to the Milwaukee Brewers.

After defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-4 on Wednesday, Chicago finally decided to let loose.

The Cubs (88-64) seemed destined for the playoffs since going 18-9 in May. Still, this hasn’t been straightforward. They lead the NL Wild Card and are 5 games back of the first-place Brewers in the Central, having surrendered the division lead on July 28 after sitting alone at the top through July 19.

After Milwaukee took over, Chicago could have folded. Instead, it’s surging with four straight wins and seven victories in eight games.

“It’s a grind of a season. You celebrate the first goal you accomplished,” manager Craig Counsell said. “We’ve made it to our first goal and that’s exciting. For everybody that’s been a part of the grind the whole year, for everybody that’s worked so hard to put us in this position, it’s a fun thing to do."

Ian Happ popped the cork — in the clubhouse and on the field. He drove in three runs against the Pirates, belting a two-run home run in the first inning.

The Pittsburgh native has played nine years with the Cubs. He was a rookie in 2017, when Chicago took the Central one year after ending a 107-year drought without winning the World Series.

Happ was there with Anthony Rizzo, Kyle Schwarber, Kris Bryant, Javier Báez and others. This time, it was Pete Crow-Armstrong by his side, pulled into a tight hug.

“I don’t know. I’ve never done this,” Crow-Armstrong said. “I’m just excited to keep doing what we’re doing, doing what we’ve done all year. I’ve never experienced October baseball. I’m just ready to go all in.”



(AP Photo Matt Freed)