The Milwaukee Brewers are heading to the National League Championship Series after defeating the Chicago Cubs 3-1 in Game 5 of their Division Series on Saturday night. Andrew Vaughn’s tiebreaking home run in the fourth inning helped lift the Brewers past their biggest rivals and ended years of playoff frustration for the team and its fans. The Brewers, making their seventh postseason appearance in the last eight years, celebrated their first playoff series win since 2018. That year, they swept Colorado in the NLDS before falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the NLCS. Now, Milwaukee gets another shot at the Dodgers, who advanced after beating the Philadelphia Phillies in four games. Game 1 of the NLCS is set for Monday in Milwaukee. The Brewers relied on a combined pitching effort to secure the decisive win. Trevor Megill opened the game with a perfect first inning, followed by rookie Jacob Misiorowski, who threw four strong innings. Misiorowski allowed just one run on three hits, struck out three, and issued no walks. Aaron Ashby, Chad Patrick, and Abner Uribe combined to hold Chicago hitless over the final innings, closing out the game with precision and calm under pressure. Chicago struck first in the second inning when Seiya Suzuki hit a 101.4 mph fastball from Misiorowski into the bullpen, tying the score 1-1 after Milwaukee’s early lead. But from that moment on, the Cubs’ offense stalled. Misiorowski and the bullpen allowed only one more baserunner the rest of the way, keeping the Cubs from mounting any comeback. Milwaukee’s bats did the rest. William Contreras opened the scoring with a 389-foot home run in the first inning off Drew Pomeranz. Vaughn broke the tie in the fourth, sending a 3-2 pitch from Colin Rea over the left-field wall for a solo homer. Brice Turang added insurance with a 416-foot blast to center field in the seventh inning off Andrew Kittredge. Each of the Brewers’ three home runs came with two outs, showing the team’s ability to deliver in clutch moments. For Brewers fans, the victory carried extra meaning. It came against Craig Counsell, the Cubs’ current manager and former Brewers player and skipper. Counsell, who grew up in the Milwaukee area, was the winningest manager in Brewers history before leaving to manage the rival Cubs two years ago. Ever since, Milwaukee fans have made their feelings known, booing Counsell loudly whenever his name is mentioned at American Family Field. The atmosphere inside the stadium on Saturday was electric, even with many Cubs fans in attendance. Milwaukee’s win not only eliminated its longtime rival but also closed a painful chapter in the franchise’s playoff history. It was a moment of redemption for a team that has consistently reached October but struggled to advance. The Cubs had forced Game 5 after winning two straight at Wrigley Field, hoping to become just the 11th team in MLB history to overcome a 2-0 deficit in a best-of-five series. The last team to do so was the New York Yankees against Cleveland in the 2017 American League Division Series. Chicago’s hopes faded quickly as the Brewers’ pitching staff dominated from the third inning onward. Milwaukee’s decision to use an “all-hands-on-deck” approach paid off. Megill’s clean first inning set the tone, and the bullpen delivered near-flawless relief. Misiorowski’s performance, especially after his strong outing in Game 2, underscored his growing importance to the Brewers’ playoff run. The 22-year-old right-hander has quickly become one of the team’s most reliable arms, earning two wins in the series. In the sixth inning, the Cubs had one final chance to rally. Aaron Ashby allowed a leadoff single to Michael Busch and then hit Nico Hoerner with a pitch. With two on and no outs, it looked like Chicago might finally break through. But Ashby struck out Kyle Tucker, and Patrick came in to retire Suzuki and Ian Happ, ending the threat. The Brewers’ victory was a full-team effort, from timely hitting to precise pitching. Fans in Milwaukee now look forward to the next challenge: a best-of-seven showdown with the powerhouse Dodgers. With momentum and confidence on their side, the Brewers will try to reach the World Series for the first time since 1982. As Vaughn’s home run soared over the wall and into a roaring crowd, it symbolized more than just a lead—it marked a turning point for the franchise. After years of coming close, the Milwaukee Brewers finally broke through, earning another shot at baseball’s biggest stage.