Aaron Civale, Former Brewer, Critical for Cubs in Game 1

Game 1 of the NL Division Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs had drama, irony, and maybe even a little baseball destiny. Former Milwaukee pitcher Aaron Civale came out of the Cubs bullpen to face his old team and threw 4⅓ scoreless innings, though the Cubs still lost 9–3.

Civale’s outing didn’t change the outcome of this first playoff game. But it might end up being a sneaky turning point as Chicago tries to get its footing.

A Tale of Irony: Civale Returns to Milwaukee

It almost felt scripted—American Family Field, where Civale started his 2024 season, now hosting his postseason debut for a rival. He began the year with the Brewers, then moved to the bullpen midseason, which led him to ask for a trade.

After a quick, bumpy stint with the White Sox, Civale landed in Chicago via the waiver wire. The Cubs needed some steadiness on their pitching staff, and he carved out a spot.

From Bullpen Transition to October Reinvention

The Cubs turned to Civale in a tough spot right after starter Matthew Boyd had a disastrous opening inning. Boyd gave up six runs—only two of them earned—helped along by an unusual error from Gold Glove second baseman Nico Hoerner.

Milwaukee’s hitters jumped all over the opportunity. Brice Turang, William Contreras, and Blake Perkins all came through, with Perkins grinding out an 11-pitch at-bat for an RBI single.

The Game’s Defining Moments

The opening inning just spiraled for Chicago. Boyd, running on short rest after his wild-card start, gave up three straight doubles before Civale came in to try to stop the damage.

Milwaukee grabbed a 2–1 lead almost immediately and just kept building, swinging aggressively and cashing in when it counted.

Civale’s Steady Performance

Unlike Boyd, Civale calmed things down. He faced just one batter over the minimum during his time on the mound, giving up only a run-scoring hit to Milwaukee’s rookie Jackson Chourio.

Other than that, Civale controlled the game, working efficiently and quietly. His ability to eat up innings out of the bullpen could help Chicago in the rest of the series, especially with the postseason schedule packed so tight.

Counsell’s Confidence and Chicago’s Outlook

Even after Boyd’s rough outing, Cubs manager Craig Counsell stuck by his choice to start the veteran. He called Boyd the team’s best option for a tough playoff setting, pointing to Boyd’s steady season and resilience.

Still, falling behind by six runs right away put Chicago in a hole they couldn’t dig out of against Milwaukee’s rolling offense.

Momentum in Defeat

The Cubs did shut out the Brewers for the last six innings, which is something. Civale and the rest of the relievers kept Milwaukee quiet, and that’s at least a small boost heading into Game 2.

October baseball is weird. Sometimes, just saving a few bullpen arms for the next fight ends up mattering as much as anything else.

Takeaways from Game 1

The Brewers looked sharper and more composed in this opener. They jumped on rare mistakes and turned key at-bats into runs.

• Milwaukee’s early offensive burst set the tone and dictated the pace of play.
• Matthew Boyd’s rough start created a deficit too large to overcome.
• Aaron Civale’s steady relief work may become a pivotal storyline in the series.
• Craig Counsell’s confidence in his rotation remains unshaken, even in defeat.
• Cubs’ bullpen preservation gives them a fighting chance in upcoming games.

The Cubs will need to match that offensive intensity. They’ll have to lean on the pitching depth that Civale helped preserve.

 
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