Lineup and Misiorowski-led bullpen provide power as Brewers beat Cubs 7-3 for 2-0 lead in NLDS

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Andrew Vaughn and Jackson Chourio each hit a three-run homer, William Contreras added a solo shot and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs 7-3 on Monday night to move one win from a trip to the National League Championship Series.

The Brewers have a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-five Division Series, which shifts to Wrigley Field in Chicago for Game 3 on Wednesday. Teams taking a 2-0 lead in a best-of-five postseason series have won 80 of 90 times, including 54 sweeps.

Milwaukee is attempting to win a postseason series for the first time since 2018, when it reached Game 7 of the NLCS.

“We’ve just got a good collection of guys that are happy they’re in the big leagues,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “I call them cliffhangers — guys that don’t know if their locker is going to be there when they get back to the deal. That’s a fun thing. That hunger makes us look like we know what we’re doing. It’s pretty cool.”

Vaughn and Chourio hit the first two three-run homers in Brewers postseason history. Contreras' solo shot in the third inning broke a 3-all tie.

Chicago slugger Seiya Suzuki hit a three-run homer of his own — a 440-foot shot to left-center in the first inning against Aaron Ashby. After coming out of the bullpen in 42 of his 43 regular-season appearances, Ashby served as an opener in this one.

But the Cubs didn't score again. Nick Mears, Jacob Misiorowski, Chad Patrick, Jared Koenig, Trevor Megill and Abner Uribe combined for 7 1/3 innings of shutout relief in which they allowed just one hit.

“We’ve got to find a way to just create more pressure, and that’s baserunners, hits, walks," Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “We’ve got to have more pressure and make innings and kind of pitching decisions much tougher on the other side.”

Misiorowski came on in the third and threw three scoreless innings to earn the win while hitting at least 100 mph on 31 of his 57 pitches. Each of the rookie's first eight pitches went at least 102.6 mph, and he topped out at 104.3.

“I think I was so fired up, adrenaline pumping, you know, didn’t really know where my feet were,” Misiorowski said. “But we landed, so it was fun. It was a lot of fun.”

While Misiorowski was sizzling, Chicago’s Shota Imanaga was fizzling.

Twice in the first three innings, Imanaga retired the first two batters before running into trouble that resulted in a homer. Imanaga has allowed multiple homers in six of his last eight appearances.

Vaughn tied the game in the bottom of the first with a drive over the left-field wall after Contreras and Christian Yelich delivered two-out singles. According to MLB, this was the first playoff game in which each team hit a three-run homer in the first inning.

“I think it just brought the energy back into the dugout, and that’s what Vaughn has been doing ever since he’s got here,” Contreras said through an interpreter. “He’s been able to put big swings on balls and continue producing for us like he has. I think it was one of the big keys to us winning the game there.”

Contreras then hit a 411-foot shot to left with two outs in the third.

Vaughn’s first-inning drive marked the first time the Brewers had ever hit a three-run homer or a grand slam in the postseason. They got their second just three innings later, when Chourio connected on his 419-foot shot off Daniel Palencia.

“You’re not going to win playoff games giving up two three-run homers,” Counsell said. “That was just too much to overcome.”

Chourio was back in the leadoff spot after tightness in his right hamstring caused him to leave in the second inning of Milwaukee’s 9-3 Game 1 victory on Saturday. Chourio went 3 for 3 with three RBIs in the opener before his exit, making him the first player to have three hits in the first two innings of a postseason game.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga (18) delivers during the first inning of Game 2 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Milwaukee Brewers' Andrew Vaughn (28) runs the bases after hitting a 3-run home run during the first inning of Game 2 of baseball's National League Division against the Chicago Cubs Series Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) delivers during the third inning of Game 2 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Milwaukee Brewers' William Contreras (24) celebrates while crossing home plate after hitting a solo home run during the third inning of Game 2 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

Milwaukee Brewers' William Contreras (24) celebrates with third base coach Jason Lane (40) after hitting a solo home run during the third inning of Game 2 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf)

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. forces in the Caribbean Sea have seized another sanctioned oil tanker the Trump administration says has ties to Venezuela, part of a broader U.S. effort to take control of the South American country’s oil.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote Thursday on social media, “Motor Tanker Veronica had previously passed through Venezuelan waters, and was operating in defiance of President Trump’s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean.”

A social media post from U.S. Southern Command on the capture said that Marines and sailors launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to make the capture while Noem’s post noted that, like in previous raids, a U.S. Coast Guard tactical team conducted the boarding and seizure.

Noem posted a brief video that appeared to show part of the ship’s capture. The black-and-white footage showed helicopters hovering over the deck of a merchant vessel while armed troops dropped down on the deck by rope.

The Veronica is the sixth tanker that has been seized by U.S. forces as part of the effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to control the production, refining and global distribution of Venezuela’s oil products, and the fourth since the U.S. ouster of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid almost two weeks ago.

Noem, in her social media post, said that the raid was carried out with “close coordination with our colleagues” in the military as well as the State and Justice departments.

“Our heroic Coast Guard men and women once again ensured a flawlessly executed operation, in accordance with international law,” Noem added.

As with prior posts, Noem and the military framed the seizure as part of an effort to enforce the law. Noem argued that the multiple captures show that “there is no outrunning or escaping American justice.”

However, other officials in Trump's Republican administration have made clear they see it as a way to generate cash as they seek to rebuild Venezuela’s battered oil industry and restore its economy.

Last week, Trump met with executives from oil companies to discuss his goal of investing $100 billion in Venezuela to repair and upgrade its oil production and distribution. His administration has said it expects to sell at least 30 million to 50 million barrels of sanctioned Venezuelan oil.

This story has been corrected to show the Veronica is the fourth, not the third, tanker seized by U.S. forces since Maduro's capture.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a press conference, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks at a news conference at Harry Reid International Airport, Nov. 22, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill, File)