Cubs playoff chances on life support as they drop 4-3 loss in tenth to Brewers

MILWAUKEE — When a team has clinched a playoff berth it’s always interesting to see how they attack an opponent that’s fighting to stay alive.

Do they write out a second-class lineup and trot out some underwhelming pitchers? Or do they step on your throat and go for the kill?

“Your job as an athlete is to do your best every night,” Brewers left fielder Christian Yelich said Friday before facing the desperate Cubs at American Family Field. “If you’re in the lineup, it’s your duty to perform as well as you can and let everything else sort itself out. I don’t think you should ever go out on the field not giving your best effort.

“And that’s what we’re gonna do.”

Yelich was a man of his word as Milwaukee put manager David Ross’ squad on life support with a 4-3 10-inning victory. With Miami overcoming a 3-0 deficit to stun Pittsburgh 4-3, the only way the Cubs can reach the playoffs is if:

• They win the next two games at Milwaukee.

• Miami loses the next two games at Pittsburgh.

• Miami goes back to New York and blows a 2-1 ninth-inning lead from Monday’s suspended game.

The Brewers, who have won 91 games and are in the playoffs for the fifth time in six years, snapped a scoreless tie with 3 runs in the fifth.

The Cubs refused to go down quietly, however, getting to within 3-2 in the eighth on a solo home run by Jeimer Candelario and a run-scoring groundout by Yan Gomes that scored Christopher Morel (triple).

Ian Happ then led off the ninth by crushing a first-pitch curveball over the right-field wall to make it 3-3. It was Happ’s 21st home run of the season.

In the 10th, the Cubs had runners on first and third with one out, but catcher Yan Gomes struck out with a weak swing on an 82-mph sweeper from Caleb Boushley. After Mike Tauchman was walked intentionally to load the bases, Patrick Wisdom struck out.

Milwaukee prevailed when Carlos Santana singled to left field off Jose Cuas (3-2).

The Cubs fell, but they showed plenty of moxie in the final innings.

“When things become more magnified no one in the locker room expects anything different from each other than whatever it is you’ve brought all year,” said Nico Hoerner beforehand. “Me going up there and trying to hit three-run homers the entire weekend isn’t going to help the team.

“That’s been a nice part of this clubhouse. Everyone knows where they’re at. It’s just a matter of executing.”

The problem for the Cubs early on were their hitters. The Brewers’ starter was Colin Rea, who came in with a 4.74 ERA and hadn’t thrown more than 5 innings since July 30.

Read gave up just 2 hits — a one-out double in the third to Christopher Morel and a leadoff single by Seiya Suzuki in the fifth — while striking out six and walking none.

While the pressure seems to have gotten to the Cubs at times, Ross has been impressed with how his players have muted any negative outside noise from various outlets.

“(There’s been a) narrative of ‘we’re not good and then we’re really good and now we’re not good,'” Ross said. “You have to keep the belief within yourself and within your group. The confidence shouldn’t waver. These guys have been doing it a really long time.

“This is the back end of a really long season and played really well all year long. This is not a time to worry about the small mistakes. Sometimes you make em, they happen and you move on.”