The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of a four-game series at American Family Field. Despite an early pitching battle between Brewers rookie Robert Gasser (six innings pitched, three hits, no runs, seven strikeouts) and Cubs left-hander Justin Steele (seven innings pitched, three hits, no runs, one walk, and eight strikeouts), Milwaukee scored five runs in the eighth inning.
After Sal Frelick scored on an error, Willy Adames hit a three-run home run, giving the Brewers a 4-0 lead. Later in the inning, Jackson Chourio added an RBI double. While Chicago got a run in the ninth against Hoby Milner, the Brewers held on for an emotional win.
The Milwaukee Brewers Defeated Chicago Cubs Manager Craig Counsell in His First Game Back at American Family Field
Of course, the high degree of passion in the triumph stemmed from the fact that it was Cubs manager Craig Counsell’s first game managing against his former team in Milwaukee. Prior to the game, the Brewers played a video homage to the franchise’s most successful manager. Fans booed.
Counsell and Brewers manager Pat Murphy both downplayed their teams’ animosity in the buildup to the game. For them, it was just another game. However, it was more than just another game for the spectators, and the Milwaukee players profited from their enthusiasm. After the game, Adames, who hit the three-run home run, said, “I feel like [the fans] were a little extra today, because of Counsell, but we love it.” He went on to remark that he hopes that the atmosphere in the stands remains positive throughout the series.
Chicago Cubs Manager Craig Counsell Reveals Who Got Him Thinking About Leaving the Milwaukee Brewers
Also prior to the game, Counsell met with Milwaukee reporters for a longer media session than usual. One of the questions he was asked was about when he started thinking about leaving Milwaukee. He replied:
“I think when you are at a place for a long time, it’s natural to think about what if I did something different. Frankly David Stearns made me think about it a lot.”
Stearns, of course, is the former Brewers general manager who first hired Counsell to lead the Brewers. Stearns left Milwaukee to become the President of Baseball Operations for the New York Mets.
While Stearns was named to that title just this past offseason, it was rumored for years that he was going to leave the Brewers organization once his contract was up. In 2020, the Brewers promoted Matt Arnold to general manager while Stearns remained as the President of Baseball Operations in Milwaukee.
In comparison. Counsell has long portrayed himself as a hometown guy who grew up in Milwaukee and now manages the team he rooted for as a kid. This helped him gain popularity in MLB’s smallest market. While everyone expected Stearns to go, Counsell’s departure surprised everyone and sparked emotions of betrayal, especially since he went on to manage the Cubs.
