This is what the Brewers acquired C.C. Sabathia for.

On the team’s 162nd & final game of the regular-season, Sabathia pitched a complete game & allowed just 4 hits as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs 3-1 on Sunday afternoon to help clinch the National League Wild Card pennant.

Milwaukee will now face the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS, while the Cubs will face the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Cubs took an early lead in the top of the 2nd inning after Aramis Ramirez hit a lead-off single against Brewers starter C.C. Sabathia.

2 batters later, Micah Hoffpauir reached on a fielder’s choice thanks to a fielding error by Prince Fielder at 1st base. Ramirez also advanced to 3rd base on the play.

Ronny Cedeno then grounded into a fielder’s choice, but scored Ramirez from 3rd base to give Chicago a 1-0 lead.

Milwaukee was finally able to push a run in the bottom of the 7th inning after Ray Durham hit a lead-off double against Chicago reliever Sean Marshall.

Ryan Braun then grounded out to Casey McGehee at 3rd base, but advanced Durham to 3rd on the play.

Prince Fielder was then intentionally walked before Cubs reliever Michael Wuertz walked J.J. Hardy to load the bases with just 1 out for Corey Hart.

Hart struck out before Craig Counsell drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Durham from 3rd base, which tied the game 1-1.

Jason Kendall then grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the inning.

The Brewers then took the lead for good in the bottom of the 8th inning after Mike Cameron hit a 1-out single off Cubs reliever Bob Howry.

2 batters later, Ryan Braun delivered a game-winning 2-run homer (37th of season) to give Milwaukee a 3-1 lead.

The Cubs had a chance to rally in the top of the 9th inning after Ryan Theriot hit a 1-out single, but Sabathia got Derrek Lee to hit into a game-ending double play & end Milwaukee’s 25 year postseason drought.

C.C. Sabathia (11-2) gets the win for the Brewers after pitching a complete game & allowed 1 run on 4 hits while striking out 7 Cub batters.

Bob Howry (7-5) takes the loss for the Cubs after allowing Ryan Braun’s game-winning 2-run homer in the 8th inning. Michael Wuertz is credited with his 3rd blown save of the season after allowing a bases-loaded walk to Craig Counsell in the 7th inning, which allowed Milwaukee to tie the game.

The Cubs’ regular season has now ended, as they finish with the most regular-season wins (97) since the 1945 Cubs, who went 98-56 & wound up making the franchise’s last trip to the World Series.

Chicago’s postseason run will begin on Wednesday evening against the Los Angeles Dodgers at 5:30 PM cst from Wrigley Field in Game 1 of the National League Division Series. This will be the 1st ever postseason meeting between the Dodgers & Cubs, as Chicago took 5 of the 7 regular-season games between these two teams.

Game 1 will feature 2008 NL All-Star Ryan Dempster (17-6, 2.96), as he will be opposed by Dodgers righthander Derek Lowe (14-11, 3.24).

Wednesday will be Dempster’s 1st postseason start, as he is 14-3 in 20 home starts this season with a 2.86 ERA.

Dempster is 1-0 in 2 games against Los Angeles this season with a 2.92 ERA.

Lowe pitched very well in September, where he went 3-0 in 5 starts with a 0.59 ERA, but is 5-6 in 17 road starts this season with a 4.42 ERA.

Lowe is 1-o in 2 starts against Chicago this season with a 1.93 ERA & will make his 1st postseason start since October 4th, 2006. In that game, Lowe allowed 4 runs on 6 hits in 5 1/3 innings of work & finished with a no-decision during the Dodgers’ 5-4 loss in Game 1 in the NLDS.

Signing off for now,