Andrew Vaughn’s incredible night helped the Milwaukee Brewers defeat the Chicago Cubs 9–3 at American Family Field on July 29. His grand slam helped solidify Milwaukee’s hold on the NL Central. The victory increased the Brewers’ lead to two games, solidified their position as a contender, and revealed weaknesses in the Cubs’ strategy.
Andrew Vaughn’s Massive Night
Vaughn has rapidly established himself after joining via trade from the White Sox in mid-June. With a career-high six RBIs and a 409-foot grand slam off reliever Ryan Pressly in the sixth inning, the first baseman finished 3-for-4 in only his 15th game with the Crew. Milwaukee had already applied pressure to the Cubs’ struggling bullpen by that point. Any chances of a late Chicago revival were essentially dashed when the grand slam brought the score to 9–2.
Vaughn also showed his flexibility and immediate effect by driving in runs with an RBI single in the fifth and a sacrifice fly in the second. After just 15 games with the Brewers, he already has 21 RBIs, second only to Kyle Schwarber of Philadelphia.
From Standstill to Surge: Pitching & Scoring Recap
Starting Pitching
Another outstanding performance came from Quinn Priester (10–2), who pitched 5⅔ innings while walking two, striking out three, and giving up two runs on eight hits. His outstanding run of nine straight victories is an indicator of his consistency.
Colin Rea (8–5) struggled to keep Milwaukee’s lineup in check, giving up four runs in four innings for the Cubs.
Relief Work
With only one hit and two strikeouts in 3⅓ scoreless innings, Aaron Ashby shut the door in relief and recorded his second save.
Cubs reliever Ryan Pressly was tagged for the grand slam and overall had inconsistent control, undermining the bullpen’s reliability.
Scoring Timeline
Pete Crow-Armstrong scored on a fielder’s choice to give the Cubs the lead in the second inning. But Anthony Seigler’s sacrifice fly gave Milwaukee the lead right away.
In the third, Vaughn scored another RBI on a fly ball to make it 2-1.
Contreras, Vaughn, and Durbin drove in runs and blew the game open with a three-run fifth inning.
The Cubs never threatened a comeback, managing just a single homer from Nico Hoerner in the sixth and another score via Crow-Armstrong’s sacrifice fly in the eighth.
Despite hitting a triple in the fifth, Jackson Chourio exited early due to a hamstring cramp, and Ian Happ of the Cubs left after foul contact with his leg; each departure increased Chicago’s growing frustration.
Team and Season Implications
With their 15th victory in 18 games, the Brewers (64–43) extended their recent success and took sole control of first place in the NL Central, enjoying baseball’s best record.
The Cubs (62–45) fell behind by two games and lost many scoring opportunities with runners in scoring position, which has been a consistent problem for the team this season.
Milwaukee will start pitchers like Freddy Peralta and Shota Imanaga in the upcoming game as they attempt to complete a series sweep.
This victory not only affects the rankings but also highlights Milwaukee’s depth and momentum while revealing Chicago’s patchy performance under duress.
Player Highlights
Andrew Vaughn
3-for-4, including a grand slam, sacrifice fly, and RBI single
Career-high 6 RBIs, continuing surge since joining Brewers
Quinn Priester
W (10–2) with quality start in his ninth straight decision
Limited Chicago’s left-handed bats effectively through the first six innings.
Aaron Ashby
Perfect shutting down the Cubs bullpen over 3⅓ innings, preserving the blowout.
Nico Hoerner (Cubs)
Solo HR and 3-for-4 night offered silver lining for Chicago, but his efforts were too little too late.
What Lies Ahead
Milwaukee heads into the final game of the series, with Peralta on the mound, and they are trying to finish the sweep. The Cubs need to get back together fast and deal with their ongoing issues with situational offense and bullpen depth.
Vaughn’s arrival has given the Brewers much-needed punch in the lineup, which has helped them win the division battle. Given the approaching trade deadline and the tighter playoff standings, Milwaukee’s front management probably feels secure in the team’s present course.
Final Takeaway
The 9–3 victory against Chicago was more than simply another divisional triumph; it was a demonstration of the depth of the bullpen (Ashby), the dependability of the starters (Priester), and the midseason additions (Vaughn). Chicago’s early energy and fleeting leads were unable to match Milwaukee’s offense’s unwavering execution.
The Brewers appear to be the team to beat in the NL Central at this stage in July, and Andrew Vaughn might be the spark that seals their run to October.