Boyd and Happ lead the Cubs past the Brewers 6-0 to send the NLDS to a deciding Game 5

CHICAGO (AP) — Matthew Boyd pitched two-hit ball into the fifth inning, and the Chicago Cubs shut down the Milwaukee Brewers for a 6-0 victory Thursday night that pushed their NL Division Series all the way to a decisive Game 5.

Ian Happ, Kyle Tucker and Michael Busch homered for Chicago, delighting a rollicking Wrigley Field crowd of 41,770. Busch went deep for the second straight game and third time in the series.

“It’s cool that the brightest lights have brought the best out of a lot of our guys,” said Nico Hoerner, who had three of Chicago’s 10 hits.

The Cubs were on the brink of elimination after they dropped the first two games in Milwaukee. But they held on for a 4-3 victory Wednesday before making the most of a sharp performance by Boyd and four relievers in Game 4.

Next up is the finale of the best-of-five series back in Milwaukee on Saturday night. The winner takes on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.

“We’ve got to regroup,” Brewers star Christian Yelich said. “We've got one more game to play. We’ve got to make sure we’re ready to go.”

The Brewers, who went 97-65 this season for the majors' best record, finished with three hits. They were 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position and left 13 on base overall in the two games at Wrigley.

“They’re built to be great, and they played great these two games,” Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said. “Hopefully the tables will turn when we get into Game 5 at our place. But we have to find out how bad we’re going to fight back.”

Boyd also started the series opener Saturday. Pitching on three days' rest, he recorded just two outs while Freddy Peralta worked into the sixth inning in Milwaukee's 9-3 win.

Given another opportunity, Boyd delivered. The All-Star left-hander struck out six and walked three in 4 2/3 innings.

“The atmosphere was amazing tonight,” Boyd said. “We've got the best fans in baseball, and it was electric. We’ve been feeding off them since April, but tonight was another level, and that was super special.”

The 34-year-old Boyd was staked to an early lead when Happ drove a 1-1 fastball from Peralta deep to right for a three-run drive with two out in the first. Hoerner singled and Tucker walked ahead of Happ's third career postseason homer.

Chicago has gone deep in the first in each of the four NLDS games. It has scored 11 of its 16 runs in the series in the first inning.

It was a big swing for Happ, who went 2 for 21 with 11 strikeouts in Chicago's first six postseason games this year.

“The guys have been carrying me all postseason so to contribute in that moment and give us the lead was awesome for me,” Happ said.

Happ hit a solo drive off Peralta in Game 1, but he is 2 for 32 with 14 strikeouts against the right-hander in the regular season.

“For me, it wasn’t a mistake. It was a pitch we wanted, and he was just able to hit it really hard,” Peralta said.

The Cubs had a 3-0 lead when Boyd exited with runners on second and third in the fifth, drawing a huge ovation from the crowd. Daniel Palencia came in and retired Jackson Chourio on a popup to shortstop, ending the inning.

Palencia also worked the sixth in this third win of the playoffs. Drew Pomeranz and Brad Keller each got three outs before Caleb Thielbar handled the ninth.

“Just a really great group effort,” Hoerner said.

Chicago blew a bases-loaded opportunity in the fifth, but Matt Shaw hit an RBI single off Aaron Ashby in the sixth. The rookie third baseman had two hits after he went 0 for 12 in his first six postseason games.

Tucker added a leadoff drive in the seventh against Robert Gasser, and Busch connected in the eighth. It was Busch’s fourth homer in this postseason overall.

“We just made them uncomfortable,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “We just made every pitch uncomfortable, and that’s what you’re supposed to do.”

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

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) walks on the mound during the second inning of Game 4 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs fans celebrate after Game 4 of baseball's National League Division against the Milwaukee Brewers Series Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell acknowledges starting pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) while making a pitching change during the fifth inning of Game 4 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ (8) hits a 3-run home run during the first inning of Game 4 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Kyle Tucker (30) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the seventh inning of Game 4 of baseball's National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday made a vague statement that he’s been told “on good authority” that plans for executions in Iran have stopped, even as Tehran has indicated fast trials and executions ahead in its crackdown on protesters.

The U.S. president’s claims, which were made with few details, come as he’s told protesting Iranians in recent days that “help is on the way” and that his administration would “act accordingly” to respond to the Iranian government. But Trump has not offered any details about how the U.S. might respond and it wasn’t clear if his comments Wednesday indicated he would hold off on action.

“We’ve been told that the killing in Iran is stopping -- it’s stopped -- it’s stopping,” Trump said at the White House while signing executive orders and legislation. “And there’s no plan for executions, or an execution, or executions -- so I’ve been told that on good authority.”

Trump did not specify where he had received that information but only described it as “very important sources on the other side.”

Trump said he would “find out” later if it was true, but he didn't explain how.

“I hope it’s true," he said. "Who knows?”

When asked if that meant he was not planning to take any action against the Iranian government, Trump said: “We’re going to watch it and see what the process is. But we were given a very good statement by people that are aware of what’s going on.”

The president on Tuesday consulted with his national security team about next steps after telling reporters he believed the killing in Iran was “significant.”

Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and key White House National Security Council officials began meeting last Friday to develop options for Trump, ranging from a diplomatic approach to military strikes.

The Iranian security force crackdown on the demonstrations has killed at least 2,586, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported.

On Wednesday, Iranian officials signaled that suspects detained in nationwide protests would face fast trials and executions while the Islamic Republic promised a “decisive response” if the U.S. or Israel intervene in the domestic unrest.

The threats emerged as some personnel at a key U.S. military base in Qatar were advised to evacuate by Wednesday evening following Trump’s escalated warnings of potential military action over the killing of peaceful demonstrators.

Mohammad Pakpour, commander of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, reiterated Iranian claims, without providing evidence, that the U.S. and Israel have instigated the protests and that they are the real killers of protesters and security forces who have died in the turmoil, according to Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim news agency.

He added that those countries will “receive the response in the appropriate time.”

Earlier Wednesday, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, Iran’s judiciary chief, said the government must act quickly to punish more than 18,000 people who have been detained through rapid trials and executions. Mohseni-Ejei’s comments about rapid trials and executions were made in a video shared by Iranian state television online.

“If we want to do a job, we should do it now. If we want to do something, we have to do it quickly,” he said. “If it becomes late, two months, three months later, it doesn’t have the same effect. If we want to do something, we have to do that fast.”

The comments stand as a direct challenge to Trump, who warned Iran about executions in an interview with CBS aired Tuesday. “If they do such a thing, we will take very strong action,” Trump said.

Amiri reported from New York.

A man stands with his motorbike in front of a huge banner showing hands holding Iranian flags as a sign of patriotism, in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

President Donald Trump gestures as he walks from Marine One after arriving on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)