Why The Chicago Cubs Aren't Panicking After Game 1 Loss vs Brewers

After winning two out of three games at Wrigley Field against the San Diego Padres, the Chicago Cubs extended their season. Their quest to win a second World Series in the past nine years still has life to it.

However, that life took a hit in the Game 1 blowout loss against the Milwaukee Brewers. After a six-run opening inning on Saturday, the Cubs couldn't claw their way back against the NL Central Division champions.

Following an emotionally charged and fairly successful start in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Round against the Padres, starting pitcher Matthew Boyd did well enough from the mound to helps his team win the opening game of that series.

The Chicago Cubs roster is full of veterans like second baseman Nico Hoerner. He and his teammates aren't overthinking Game 1 — Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Chicago tasked Boyd to do the same against Milwaukee. Unfortunately, the result was vastly different. Boyd didn't make it out of the first inning, as he was tagged with two earned runs. Mike Soroka came in next and was responsible for three more earned runs.

Aaron Civale and Ben Brown combined for six and a third innings of scoreless baseball. Sadly, the damage was done as the Cubs couldn't overcome the nine runs they gave up in the first two innings on Saturday.

Why it will be okay according to Cubs players and their manager

Second baseman Nico Hoerner has come up with some big hits this postseason already. He seemed down but not out regarding the 9-3 loss in the series opener to the Brewers.

“It stings today. All losses do — especially in the postseason. I don’t think it changes our work tomorrow or for our game on Monday." said Hoerner.

“Obviously we have a little bit of time, which is kind of strange in the middle of all this. But the task remains the same, and the group’s confidence is incredibly high, even though today wasn’t what we wanted.”

Chicago has seen a 1-0 hole before. During the 2016 World Series, the Cubs faced a 1-0 hole after losing 6-0 to the Cleveland Indians (who are now the Guardians).

“We’re down 1-0. Nothing else changes besides that. It’s 1-0. I’m not sure we’d manage the game differently on Monday up 1-0 or down 1-0," said Counsell. "We made it harder for ourselves. We’ve got to win three out of four now; they’ve got to win two out of four. Other than that, we’ve got to do more. We pitched well for the last six innings. We didn’t pitch well early. That’s it."

Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson has been a part of a championship team that lost Game 1 to the Brewers during a postseason series recently. While playing for the 2021 World Series champions, the Atlanta Braves, Swanson's team lost Game 1 to Milwaukee in the 2021 NL Division Series round, 2-1.

Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson & his team lost 9-3 in Game 1 vs. the Milwaukee Brewers. The best-of-five continues. — Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Swanson and the Braves fired back with three straight victories over the Brewers to advance. The Cubs veteran shortstop believes his new team can do the same.

“The beauty of this time of year is one loss counts as one loss. [It] Was kind of making the joke to everybody that this is not Champions League. It’s not an aggregate type of situation," said Swanson. “I don’t know how many of [them] understood that. I think it’s an easy way to, kind of like, flush it and move on and be ready for Monday.”

Chicago get another crack at their NL Central foe on Monday in Milwaukee. The Cubs send Shota Imanaga to the mound to combat the Brewers' Aaron Ashby.

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