Brewers Continue The Hot Streak Vs Cubs

Let's just reestablish the facts here. The 2026 KPSL Brewers went the first 10 series' of the year without winning a series. Every series was either a sweep, a tie, or a loss. We then traded Kyle Stowers. And following that statement of intent to fail, the Brewers subsequently won 9 of our next 12. Winning the next three series. 

This happened last year as well. We tank, we rally, we start spoiling good teams. A rally of this magnitude I was not expecting. Two of the wins in this series I am about to detail were also completely unexpected. This doesn't mean the team is 'good' per se, but some of the rolls I could not get during the first half came to me here.

Now...taking the wind from my sails a bit here is the fact that this series was against Rob's Chicago Cubs. Also very much a rebuilding team, also non-competitive, also in sell-mode. So I kinda feel bad. Like, I just won a series against Steve, his team's got a great lineup. Rob has Jose Trevino, Oneil Cruz and Nick Gonzales playing prominent roles. True, he also has that Seth Lugo card nobody can hit, and he's got a lot of cards that will be much better last year, but his team is just doing what it can right now.

But still. Taking 3 on the road is still an accomplishment, especially the way I did it. Here now the writeup.

Game 1: Brewers 13, Cubs 2

W: Sonny Gray

L: A.J. Smith-Shawver

I have only scored over 10 points against a team once this season, in a game against the Phils at CBP. This was the second. I was honestly in awe. And, importantly, this was the one in terrible weather, where homers were to 2 for righties and ballpark singles were to 2 for lefties. 

Inning one. The Brew Crew against A.J. Smith-Shawver, just called up. First Chourio triples on. Crawford rolls that ballpark single. Bogaerts is walked. Heliot Ramos strikes out. So that's two outs...and ideally that'd be the end of the inning. But it took EIGHT MORE BATTERS for Smith-Shawver to get another out. And all the goings-on in between were some really pesky contact work. A ballpark single from Reynolds, 2 more walks including a bases-loaded walk, a 2-RBI single from Nick Fortes, an RBI single from McLain, and a 2-RBI single from Crawford. By the time Bogaerts flied out to end it, the Brewers had scored 7 runs in the first. And again, we've only scored 7 runs period 8 times this season before this [we're now at 10]. It was a complete shellacking of Smith-Shawver that, to be honest, Rob didn't seem too surprised by.

Not that Colin Rea did much better. Immediately on arrival he gave up a bases-loaded walk to Xander Bogaerts. In the fifth he gave up a solo shot to Matt McLain, who's been surprisingly hot recently. In the seventh he gave up another RBI single to Bogie. And in the 8th, he loaded the bases in time for Taijuan Walker to give up those three runs, including Bogie's third RBI. Bogaerts has been my best hitter this season, and this game showed why. 

On the other hand my pitching did exactly what the job called for. Sonny Gray is gonna give up the odd homer, we know that about him. But that homer in the 4th to Teoscar Hernandez, scoring Jose Trevino, was all the Cubs could really muster. Gray went 6 innings, allowing only 4 hits while striking out 8, a new season high for him. Meanwhile, in his season debut as my long-man, Landon Knack finished the game without a hitch, striking out 2 and allowing only a double from C.J. Abrams. 

Simply put, complete contact dominance, without any need for ballpark help. Didn't think the Brewers had it in 'em.

Game 2: Brewers 7, Cubs 2. 

W: Zack Littell

L: Eury Perez

I want to make it clear that the Eury Perez card is actually a pretty decent starting card. And when I plotted for this series, I figured I'd have trouble against it. But once again, that first inning proved to be the immediate difference maker, as J.P. Crawford, Heliot Ramos and Bryan Reynolds all doubled, 2 of which resulted in runs. The rest of Perez's start was actually extremely good, and beyond that inning he allowed no hits and struck out 3. But that rough start would be enough for a while.

Once again, Zack Littell's 4 column proved to be virtually untouchable. The right-hander who's somehow become one of my best pitchers went 7 strong, striking out 7 with only two hits allowed [out of three the Brewers allowed all game]. One of them was, you guessed it, a homer chance in that four column, hit by Teoscar Hernandez, who just loves going deep against me. Beyond that he was golden. 

The inning before the Teoscar homer, an RBI double from Connor Norby upped my score to 3. When the Cubs struck back an inning later, I went into the 8th knowing I needed to add some cushion. Against Charlie Morton I was able to do this. Three straight singles, including an RBI from Reynolds, then a sac RBI from Liam Hicks, and finally a 2-run shot from Nick Fortes to make it 4 in that inning. Once again, Landon Knack shut down the Cubs for the long relief app, and barring some baserunning leverage resulting in Mickey Moniak scoring, not much else could be done.

Game 3: Brewers 2, Cubs 1

W: Justin Verlander

L: Orion Kerkering

SV: Victor Vodnik

Two starters pitching well beyond what was expected given their cards. Seth Lugo and Justin Verlander. Both continued that legacy. Lugo only went three innings [for conservation's sake, also possibly to benefit a buyer], but he didn't allow any hits. Verlander gave up a run in the first on a Jose Trevino RBI, but beyond that he settled in, striking out three but allowing only 4 hits. The JV renaissance is upon us for sure. 

In the 6th, Matt McLain [again, very hot right now] smoked an RBI double off Braxton Ashcraft to bring Liam Hicks home. An inning later, Orion Kerkering loaded the bases on a single, an error and a walk, and Wilmer Flores pinch-hit a single on a defensive split roll. The real credit goes to my bullpen for continuing to shut the Cubs down in the last 3 frames, including a 2-inning, 3-K night from Graham Ashcraft and a 2-K save for returning favorite Victor Vodnik. 

Rob just was not getting the rolls, even on his own D20. I made the mistake of making the 'third series win in a row' stat public, and of course the game that followed ended up making me regret it.

Game 4: Cubs 9, Brewers 1

W: Jose Quintana

L: Jacob Misiorowski

The Brewers, despite routing the Cubs in the first 3 games, weren't able to deliver a shutout. And ironically, up until the 9th, that's just what was looking like Rob was delivering.

I started my three best lefty-killing cards against Jose Quintana, and none of them did anything. Baldwin keeps singling in power situations. He's as cold for me as he is for the IRL Braves right now. Chourio once again wasted some at-bats for me. Blake Perkins at the very least doubled on at one point, but he's just not hitting that glorious 2 column on the left side. Quintana only struck out 2 guys, but stranded five baserunners. It was efficient work from the veteran southpaw. Gotta respect it.

Meanwhile, the Miz, in his second start, got into a ton of trouble. Inning 2 he gives up a solo homer to former Brewer Michael Conforto. Inning 4 was hell. Too many baserunners got on, too many walks and singles, and too many fires even Landon Knack couldn't put out. Noelvi Marte, C.J. Abrams, Mickey Moniak [TRIPLING] and Jesus Sanchez were all responsible for RBIs this inning, putting up a 6 spot. Knack would allow 2 more RBIs in the 6th on a pair of RBI doubles from Abrams and Moniak. NOW Rob was getting all the rolls, and the fortune had shifted. I just wasn't making splits this game all of the sudden.

It would have been a shutout had it not been for a Matt McLain RBI single in the ninth with 2 outs. Series MVP for sure. So at least it wasn't a total wash.

My favorite fun fact about this series is that once the ballpark homer chances went to 11 and 12, in games 3 and 4, we suddenly stopped rolling diamonds. I don't think there was a single one in those 2 games. Fascinating.

All in all a fun series, even if it didn't look fun for one of us. Rob's trusting the process, and I pointed to several cards I faced that I'm sure will be better next season. Laughs were had, both sides had wins they can be proud of, and nobody got injured. Success all around, I'd say.

The Brewers are now 22-30. Despite being closer to .500 than we've been in a while, this does not mean we're a good team. Still open to selling a bit more before the deadline. If I have time in between editing this project for this new job I just started, I'll post my trade block.