Chicago Cubs 4, Milwaukee Brewers 3: Final score and recap as the Cubs force Game 4

Can the Chicago Cubs stave off elimination?

After carrying momentum after a Wild Card series win, the Cubs find themselves down 0-2 to the NL Central rival Milwaukee Brewers.

Follow along for the National League Division Series Game 3, as the Cubs bring the series back to Wrigley Field and try to get back in it.

Cubs vs. Brewers: Live updates and scoring plays

FINAL: Cubs 4, Brewers 3

The Cubs get Yelich to ground out.

The Cubs survive. 

Botton of the eighth inning

After the offense can’t tack on an insurance run, the Cubs are heading to the ninth inning.

They are three outs away from forcing a Game 4.

Cubs 4, Brewers 3

Top of the eighth inning

The Cubs made it dramatic.

Caleb Thielbar gets into a jam, and Brad Keller replaces him. The Brewers load the bases for Jake Bauer. Keller gets him to strike out.

The collective sigh after that strikeout was felt in northern Indiana.

Cubs 4, Brewers 3

Bottom of the seventh inning

The Cubs get two on, but Ian Happ strikes out to end the inning.

The Cubs are 1 for 9 with runners in scoring positions tonight. That could comeback to hurt them,

Cubs 4, Brewers 3

Top of the seventh 

Jake Bauer hits a solo home run off Andrew Kittredge, and you could feel the blood pressure around Wrigley Field rising.

Kittredge rebounds with three put outs.

We’re stretching in the seventh.

Cubs 4, Brewers 3

Bottom of the sixth inning

Dansby Swanson smacks a two-out single but that’s all the threat the Cubs have in the sixth inning on offense. 

We’re heading to the seventh.

Cubs 4, Brewers 2

Top of the sixth inning

Daniel Palencia is in the game. He gets a one-two-three inning to move to the bottom of the sixth inning with the Cubs needing some insurance runs to ease the anxiety of this Wrigley Field crowd.

Cubs 4, Brewers 2

Bottom of the fifth inning

Kyle Tucker is 1-2 after a lead-off single, however he got picked off at first base for the second out of the inning.

Suzuki and Happ struck out. Onto the sixth we go.

Cubs 4, Brewers 2

Top of the fifth inning

Taillon’s day is done. In comes Drew Pomeranz.

He gets Chourio and Turang to strike out to end the top of the fifth. This game is in the hands of the Cubs’ bullpen now, unless the Cubs’ offense can string together some success.

Cubs 4, Brewers 2

Bottom of the fourth inning

The Brewers get through the fourth easily.

Quintana gets two groundouts to second, and a flyout to left. That retires the side

We’re through four.

Cubs 4, Brewers 2

Top of the fourth inning

The Brewers are mounting their comeback.

After getting William Contreras to strike out, the Brewers ripped off three consecutive base hits. Bauer’s RBI single scored Frelick to cut the Cubs’ lead. With runners on the corners, Taillon got the guy at third out in a rundown on a bunt, and then got Joey Ortiz to ground out.

The lead is intact.

Cubs 4, Brewers 2

Bottom of the third inning

Quintana has started to settle in for Milwaukee, now.

After a four-run first inning, the Brewers haven’t allowed a run. They came close in the third, as Seiya Suzuki doubled and Ian Happ walked. But, Quintana got Swanson to ground out to end the inning.

Cubs 4, Brewers 1

Top of the third inning

Taillon keeps the Brewers at bay.

Milwaukee hasn’t had a base runner since the first inning, as Taillon gets three ground balls to end the Brewers’ top half of the third inning.

Cubs 4, Brewers 1

Bottom of the second inning

The Cubs’ offense cooled off a bit.

After going through the entire batting order in the first inning, former White Sox and Cubs pitcher Jose Quintana comes in and settles in.

Joey Ortiz made a great sliding play to end the inning.

Cubs 4, Brewers 1

Top of the second inning

Jameson Taillon is in his zone.

He gets a one-to-three inning to retire the Brewers in the top of the first. He needed a 13-pitch at-bat to get Brandon Lockridge to strike out.

Taillon still struck him out. That’s what the Cubs need in a must-win game.

Cubs 4, Brewers 1

Bottom of the first inning

Michael Busch homered for his second lead-off home run of this series. That was just the start.

Priester allowed a Nico Hoerner single and then walked Kyle Tucker. The pressure was on the Brewers. Sal Frelick made an impressive catch in right field to save a run, but Priester walked Carson Kelly to load the bases.

Kelly struck out. Pete Crow-Armstrong delivered with a two-run RBI single. A wild pitch plated another runner, and the Cubs have a three-run lead after the first inning.

Cubs 4, Brewers 1

Top of the first inning

Christian Yelich gets on with a lead-off double. Brice Turang walks to put Yelich in scoring position. Michael Busch lost a pop-up in the late-afternoon sun to load the bases. That’s immediate pressure on Taillon.

Taillon limited the damage. Sal Frelick got one across on a sacrifice fly, but that’s all. The Brewers stranded two, but grabbed an early lead.

Brewers 1, Cubs 0

Pregame

The Cubs have Michael Busch leading off yet again after starting Justin Turner in Game 2. After home runs in the first inning of both games of the series, the Cubs are looking to find early fireworks early once again.

Today’s starting pitchers

Cubs: Jameson Taillon

Brewers: Quinn Priester

Prister faces his hometown team

The Cubs, once again, turn to Taillon

CubsSports