2018 National League Central tie-breaker game

The 2018 National League Central tie-breaker game was a one-game extension to Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2018 regular season, played between the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs to determine the champion of the National League's (NL) Central Division. It was played at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois on October 1, 2018.

2018 National League Central tie-breaker game
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Milwaukee Brewers0010000203120
Chicago Cubs0000100001 30
DateOctober 1, 2018
VenueWrigley Field
CityChicago, Illinois
Umpires
Attendance38,450
TelevisionESPN
TV announcersKarl Ravech, Eduardo Pérez, Tim Kurkjian, and Buster Olney
RadioESPN
Radio announcersJason Benetti and Chris Singleton

The Brewers won, 3–1, and became the top seed in the NL playoffs. The Cubs hosted the NL West runner-up Colorado Rockies in the NL Wild Card Game on October 2, with the Rockies advancing to face the Brewers in the National League Division Series.[1]

The tie-breaker was counted as a regular season game for both teams, with all events in the game added to regular season statistics.[2]

Background

Entering the 2018 Major League Baseball season, the Chicago Cubs had won two consecutive National League Central division championships.[3] The Milwaukee Brewers last made the Major League Baseball postseason in 2011, when they won the Central division.[4]

The Cubs and Brewers ended the 2018 season tied for the division lead with 95–67 (.586) win-loss records.[5] Milwaukee ended the season with an eight-game winning streak.[6] As the Los Angeles Dodgers and Colorado Rockies also tied for first place in the National League West, they also played in a tie-breaker game, marking the first time in Major League Baseball that two tie-breakers are needed in a year;[7] with the Brewers and Cubs having tied for the best record in the whole National League - thereby guaranteeing that whoever came in second would still qualify for the Wild Card Game two days later.[8]

Game summary
Christian Yelich had the game's first run batted in.[9]
October 1, 2018, 12:05 pm (CDT) at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, 65 °F (18 °C), overcast
Team123456789RHE
Milwaukee Brewers0010000203120
Chicago Cubs000010000130
WP: Corey Knebel (4–3)   LP: Justin Wilson (4–5)   Sv: Josh Hader (12)
Home runs:
MIL: None
CHI: Anthony Rizzo (25)
Attendance: 38,450
Boxscore

The Cubs hosted the tie-breaker game based on their head-to-head record against the Brewers in the regular season. José Quintana started for Chicago,[10] and Jhoulys Chacín started for Milwaukee.[11] ESPN broadcast the game, with Karl Ravech, Eduardo Pérez, Tim Kurkjian, and Buster Olney. The game was also broadcast on ESPN Radio, with Jason Benetti and Chris Singleton.[12][13]

Christian Yelich had a run batted in (RBI) single for the Brewers in the third inning. Anthony Rizzo of the Cubs tied the game with a home run in the fifth inning, the first hit the Cubs had off of Chacín.[9] Lorenzo Cain and Ryan Braun of the Brewers added RBI singles in the eighth inning. Orlando Arcia had his first career four hit game and scored two of Milwaukee's runs.[14]

Aftermath

With the victory, Milwaukee finished the season with the best record in the NL. They swept the Colorado Rockies in the NLDS, and advanced to the 2018 National League Championship Series,[15] which they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games.[6]

With the loss, the Cubs finished the season as the top Wild Card. They lost to the Rockies in the Wild Card Game the very next day.[9]

References
  1. Lacques, Greg (September 30, 2018). "Game 163! Historic day on tap as Dodgers-Rockies, Cubs-Brewers set for NL tiebreakers Monday". USA Today. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  2. "MLB - Breaking down Monday's division tiebreaker doubleheader". ESPN. October 1, 2018. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  3. Neveau, James (September 22, 2018). "Chicago Cubs Clinching Scenarios: Saturday". NBC Chicago. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  4. "Brewers 2, Cardinals 1: First playoff berth since 2011 is assured". Jsonline.com. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  5. McCalvy, Adam (May 24, 2018). "Brewers set for Game 163 against Cubs". MLB.com. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  6. "Brewers 3, Cubs 1: Milwaukee wins NL Central title at Wrigley Field". Jsonline.com. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  7. "MLB - Breaking down Monday's division tiebreaker doubleheader". Espn.com. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  8. Snyder, Matt (October 1, 2018). "Brewers vs. Cubs in NL Central tiebreaker: What to know about pivotal Game 163 in Chicago". CBSSports.com. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  9. "Cold bats cost the Cubs in NL Central tiebreaker loss to the Brewers". Chicago Tribune. August 30, 2018. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  10. Muskat, Carrie (May 24, 2018). "Cubs top Cardinals, face Brewers in tiebreaker". MLB.com. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  11. "Jhoulys Chacin to start for Brewers in tiebreaker to decide NL Central". Espn.com. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  12. Cafardo, Ben (September 30, 2018). "ESPN To Exclusively Televise Both MLB National League Tiebreaker Games On Monday - ESPN MediaZone U.S". Espnmediazone.com. Archived from the original on October 2, 2018. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
  13. "ESPN, ESPN Radio have coverage of Monday's baseball playoffs". Blogs.hudsonvalley.com. September 30, 2018. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
  14. R.J. Anderson. "Brewers vs. Cubs final score, things to know: Milwaukee wins NL Central in tiebreaker game". CBSSports.com. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  15. "MLB playoffs: Brewers punch NLCS ticket with savvy moves, platoon help". Usatoday.com. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
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