Outpoll | Another nightmare first inning. Another loss at Wrigley. Brewers have one chance left to avoid another playoff collapse.

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Another nightmare first inning. Another loss at Wrigley. Brewers have one chance left to avoid another playoff collapse.

Another nightmare first inning. Another loss at Wrigley. Brewers have one chance left to avoid another playoff collapse.

JAJack Turner

4 days ago7 min read999 comments

CHICAGO – In the shadowed quiet of a Wrigley Field office tucked behind the right-field concourse, Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy faced the press before Game 4 of the National League Division Series, his mood turning philosophical as he dissected his starting pitcher dilemma with a sudden, unexpected recitation. 'To be or not to be, that is the question,' Murphy began, channeling Shakespeare's Hamlet.'Whether it's nobler in the minds to suffer the slings and arrows of begotten fortune, or bear arms – I'll stop. What is that, 'Hamlet?'' He confirmed it was his favorite tragedy, a prescient choice for a team on the verge of scripting its own heartbreaking October narrative.Just hours later, his Brewers, who had marched into the visiting clubhouse on October 8th holding a commanding 2-0 series lead and visions of a clinching party in the Cubs' iconic, cramped confines, instead found themselves staring into the abyss of a franchise-defining collapse after a devastating 5-0 loss, forcing a win-or-go-home Game 5 back in Milwaukee. The fatal flaw, a recurring nightmare that has haunted this team throughout the series, was another catastrophic first inning from a starting pitcher, this time Freddy Peralta.On the 18-foot island of the pitcher's mound, surrounded by a sea of bloodthirsty Cubs fans whose chants of 'Fred-dy!' crescendoed with each pitch, Peralta buckled under the pressure. After surrendering a one-out single to Nico Hoerner on a hanging curveball and a tense four-pitch walk to Kyle Tucker that electrified the crowd, Peralta served a 94.8 mph fastball, belt-high and over the plate's heart, to Ian Happ. The sharp crack of the bat cut through the wind and the noise, sending a three-run homer into the stands and effectively silencing the Brewers' hopes before many fans had even settled into their seats.This marked the fourth consecutive game where a Brewers starter was roughed up in the opening frame, a statistical anomaly and a tactical failure that has put their entire season on life support. While the Cubs' left-hander Matthew Boyd and a relentless parade of relievers kept the Brewers' offense, an unit that prides itself on creating pressure and grinding out rallies, completely subdued, Milwaukee's own opportunities withered on the vine.They put the leadoff runner on in three of the five innings against Boyd, totaling ten at-bats with runners on base, yet produced precisely zero hits from those situations. Their best chance materialized in the fifth inning when Sal Frelick led off with a double and Blake Perkins worked a walk, bringing the tying run to the plate.In a controversial move, Joey Ortiz laid down a sacrifice bunt, advancing the runners but surrendering a precious out. The inning then unraveled further when home plate umpire Lance Barksdale called a sinker several inches above the zone a strike on Christian Yelich, who was later set down swinging, and Jackson Chourio popped out on the first pitch, foiling Murphy's strategic gambit and allowing the Cubs to secure their preferred matchups.The defensive cracks, usually a Brewers strength, appeared in the sixth. A bobbled slow chopper by Caleb Durbin, the first error of the series for Milwaukee, opened the door for the Cubs to add another run on a Matt Shaw single, extending the lead to 4-0.Later, Robert Gasser, making his series debut, was tagged for solo homers by Kyle Tucker and Michael Busch, with Busch cementing his status as the ultimate Brewers antagonist with his third homer of the series alone—a total that sits just one shy of the Brewers' entire franchise postseason career record. Now, the Brewers face a do-or-die bullpen game in Game 5, their lack of starting pitching depth laid bare.The decision of who starts is a minefield; Aaron Ashby, who surrendered a three-run homer in the first inning of Game 2 and struggled again in relief in Game 4, is a possible but perilous option. The entire bullpen, rested after an off-day, will be on call.Across the diamond, the Cubs, having successfully brought back Boyd for a strong outing, could employ the same strategy with Shota Imanaga, whom the Brewers battered for four runs in a Game 2 victory, presenting a fascinating tactical rematch. The historical weight is immense for Milwaukee.Only nine times in MLB history has a team rebounded from a 2-0 deficit to win a best-of-five series, a feat not accomplished in the National League since the 2012 Reds collapsed against the Giants. Compounding this is the Brewers' own tortured playoff history; they have lost in the first round in each of their five previous appearances, compiling a dismal 2-7 record in their last nine elimination games.The skeletons in the franchise closet are numerous, from the 2011 NLCS defeat to the Cardinals to the more recent early exits that have defined their October endeavors. This season, which promised a magical brew of resilience and talent, now hinges on a single game, asking the perennial question of this team and its fans: Is this roster truly different, capable of exorcising its demons, or is it merely the latest incarnation of a protagonist with a fatal flaw, destined to repeat the same tragic ending? The answer will be written on the mound at American Family Field, where nervous energy will be palpable and the legacy of a team, and its manager who quoted Shakespeare on the brink, will be decided.