A 7–0 statement at Wrigley flipped the narrative and put this series back on a knife’s edge. We unpack how the Cubs pushed from survival to control—Happ’s thunder off Peralta, the sequence of deep drives that stressed Milwaukee’s plan, and the way elite defense from Dansby Swanson turned would-be rallies into quiet outs. It wasn’t just the big swing; it was a dozen little decisions that formed a blueprint for October baseball: stubborn at-bats, clean transitions on the mound, and a bullpen built on leverage instead of labels.

We also dig into the Brewers’ choices and why timing matters as much as stuff in a short series. From leaning hard on Peralta to burning potential length in earlier games, Milwaukee invited a chess match the Cubs were ready to play. Inside the clubhouse, the tone feels right—celebrate, then clamp down. Whether the team sleeps at home or stares down the Pfister’s ghosts, the only thing that matters is pitch one of Game Five and the first chance to create traffic. Expect conversations about using Palencia and company where the fire actually is, not where the save statistic lives, and how Chicago’s defense can buy precious pitches for whoever takes the ball.

We keep it personal, too: the rituals, the superstitions, the tiny choices fans made to tilt luck our way, and the way a city syncs to a ballpark’s heartbeat. If you rode the highs and still feel the nerves, you’re in the right place. Tap play for the turning points, the matchup mind games, and the one-page plan for Saturday: attack early strikes, refuse free outs, and let the leather do the talking. If this show got you ready for Game Five, subscribe, drop a quick review, and share it with the diehard who sat through the lean months—then tell us your prediction for the first three innings.

Thanks for tuning in!

- Carl & Mahoney