CHICAGO (Interstat) — Facing elimination and backed by a raucous home crowd, the Chicago Cubs delivered a commanding performance Thursday night, blanking the Milwaukee Brewers 6-0 at a sold-out Wrigley Field to even their National League Division Series.

The victory, played before 41,770 fans in a game that took 3 hours and 3 minutes, knots the best-of-five series at two games apiece, setting up a decisive Game 5 in Milwaukee on Saturday.

The Cubs seized control immediately, striking for three runs in the bottom of the first inning against Brewers ace Freddy Peralta. After a strikeout and a single by Nico Hoerner, Peralta walked Kyle Tucker. A second strikeout brought Ian Happ to the plate with two outs. Happ then launched a towering three-run home run to right field, sending the capacity crowd into a frenzy and setting the tone for the evening.

“That first inning was everything for us,“ a Cubs team official said, speaking on background due to restrictions on direct quotations. “It took the pressure off and let our pitching staff operate with a lead.“

That pitching staff was the story of the game for Chicago. Starter Matthew Boyd set the standard with a brilliant outing, stifling the Brewers over 4.2 scoreless innings. He allowed just two hits and struck out six, effectively navigating a potent Milwaukee lineup. The Brewers managed only three hits total, all of them singles except for a fifth-inning double by Sal Frelick.

Milwaukee’s best scoring chance came in that fifth inning. Frelick’s double was followed by a walk to Blake Perkins, putting runners on second and third with only one out. Boyd, however, induced a crucial strikeout of Christian Yelich before being relieved by Daniel Palencia. Palencia escaped the jam by getting Jackson Chourio to pop out, preserving the 3-0 lead.

Peralta, the losing pitcher, was charged with all three first-inning runs over four innings of work. He gave up three hits and struck out six, but the early damage proved insurmountable for the Brewers’ dormant offense.

The Cubs bullpen took over from there, employing a committee approach that completely shut down Milwaukee. Palencia, the winning pitcher, recorded four outs. Drew Pomeranz followed with a dominant seventh inning, striking out two. Brad Keller and Caleb Thielbar each contributed a perfect inning of relief to close out the combined shutout.

Chicago added insurance runs steadily throughout the late innings. In the sixth, Matt Shaw drove in Carson Kelly, who had reached on an error, with a sharp single to center. In the seventh, Kyle Tucker provided a solo blast to center field, his first home run of the postseason. Michael Busch capped the scoring with a towering solo shot of his own in the eighth inning, his fourth of the playoffs.

The Brewers, who now hold a season record of 99-67, never mounted a serious threat after the fifth inning. Their offense was stymied at every turn, going 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and stranding five men on base. Christian Yelich walked twice but was left on base both times, including in the eighth inning when William Contreras grounded into an inning-ending double play.

The Cubs, improving to 96-73, showcased a balanced attack, racking up 10 hits. Hoerner led the way with three hits, while Tucker and Shaw each added two. The victory defied pregame projections from Interstat, which gave Milwaukee a 54.2% probability to win and had projected a narrow 6-5 Cubs victory. The Brewers had been installed as pregame favorites with a spread of -1.5, and the total score of six runs went over the over/under line of 6.5.

The series now returns to American Family Field in Milwaukee for a winner-take-all Game 5. The Brewers will look to rebound and advance, while the Cubs will attempt to carry the momentum from their decisive Game 4 victory on the road.