Brewers top Cubs in Game 5 to make first NLCS since 2018 - ESPN

MILWAUKEE — Andrew Vaughn hit a tiebreaking homer in the fourth inning and William Contreras and Brice Turang also went deep as the Milwaukee Brewers shook off their recent history of playoff frustration by beating the Chicago Cubs 3-1 in the decisive fifth game of their NL Division Series on Saturday.

The Brewers, making their seventh playoff appearance in the last eight years, earned their first postseason series win since sweeping Colorado in the 2018 NLDS. The Brewers were on the verge of their second World Series appearance in franchise history that year before losing Game 7 of the National League Championship Series at home to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Now they get another NLCS matchup with the Dodgers, who beat the Philadelphia Phillies in four games in the other NL Division Series. Game 1 is Monday at Milwaukee. The Dodgers opened as minus-210 favorites to win the series at ESPN BET Sportsbook.

Milwaukee won with an all-hands-on-deck pitching approach in the final game against Chicago. Trevor Megill, Jacob Misiorowski, Aaron Ashby, Chad Patrick and Abner Uribe combined on a four-hitter.

That the Brewers ended their recent history of postseason frustration in this series was particularly sweet for Milwaukee fans because it came against their biggest rival and knocked Cubs manager Craig Counsell out of the postseason.

Counsell grew up in the Milwaukee area, played for the Brewers and became the winningest manager in team history until he left for Chicago.

In the two seasons since Counsell's departure, Brewers fans have booed every mention of his name whenever the Cubs have visited American Family Field. They did it again Saturday, though the sellout crowd appeared to include more Cubs backers than in Milwaukee's