The Leadoff Man

The Cubs' 6-3 win over the Brewers was another stressful night of Cubs baseball. I’m still mad overall but not at these young stud arms on the pitching staff. Ben Brown delivered an electrifying performance, holding Milwaukee hitless through seven innings. Despite some late-game drama, including a controversial balk call, the Cubs' bats came alive in the 10th inning, securing a much-needed win. Dive into the details of this unforgettable game and what it means for the Cubs' season.

Brown Dominates on the Mound

Ben Brown was the story tonight. 

His fastball was unhittable, and his knuckle curve left the Brewers baffled. Brown threw a career-high 93 pitches over seven no-hit innings. Although it was tempting to let him continue into the 8th inning, memories of Mark Prior and Kerry Wood’s overuse by the Cubs' management came to mind. Prior and Wood’s arms were never the same after repeatedly throwing 100+ pitches. For this reason, pulling Brown after seven innings—despite no hits, two walks, and ten strikeouts—was a smart decision. This stellar outing has undoubtedly secured him a few more starts while Jordan Wicks begins his rehab in the minors.

Controversial Balk Call Adds Drama

How on God’s green earth was a balk called in the bottom of the 9th on Hector Neris? 

A balk is called when a pitcher makes an illegal motion that deceives the runners, but this call seemed unjustified. The reaction was immediate from the broadcast crews. Redemption was served with Assistant Pitching Coach Daniel Moskas confronting 3rd base coach Tripp Gibson at the Top of the 10th inning. He yelled for all of us! Even with the retirement of Angel Hernandez, a historically bad umpire, the quality of officiating still seems questionable. You can call it “give me robo-umps” but I say give them technology to help them do their job.

Bats Ignite in the 10th Inning

The bats struggled again for 9 innings but wow they exploded in the 10th inning. 

Mike Tauchman started the rally with a hard-hit line drive that injured Brewers pitcher Trevor Megill. Tauchman’s single, deflected off Megill, allowed Luis Vazquez to score, giving the Cubs a 2-1 lead. Seiya Suzuki followed with another single, putting runners on the corners. Cody Bellinger then singled, bringing Tauchman home and moving Suzuki to second. A sacrifice bunt by Nick Madrigal advanced the runners, and Ian Happ’s double cleared the bases, putting the Cubs up 5-1. Michael Busch capped the inning with a single, scoring Happ and cementing the 6-3 victory.

The Closer

This win against the Brewers hasn’t healed the pain of the last 2-3 weeks of Cubs baseball, but it is the reason I watch. As the game went into the bottom of the 9th, I texted my Superfan thread, "I have zero confidence and 100% hope."

Ben Brown's dominant performance on the mound was a standout moment, and while his outing was cut short to preserve his arm, it was a wise decision for the long run. The controversial balk call in the 9th inning added unexpected drama, but the Cubs’ offense came through in the 10th inning, delivering a much-needed burst of runs to secure the victory.

Looking ahead, the Cubs need to build on this momentum. Show us the way, Shota!!!