Cubs soak in the moment after clinching first postseason berth since 2020 – WHEC.com

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The wait was five years. It seemed longer. In the middle of a darkened visitors clubhouse at PNC Park, the Chicago Cubs embraced each other. Champagne flowed and flew. They clinched a postseason berth for the first time since 2020, but celebrated for the first time since 2017. Everything was muted during the coronavirus pandemic when the Cubs last qualified. They held off after making it in 2018, hoping to win the NL Central, just to finish second to the Milwaukee Brewers. After defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-4 on Wednesday, Chicago finally decided to let loose. “When you’re in it, you think it’s going to happen every year,” pitcher Matthew Boyd said. “The fact and the reality is this is really hard to do. … This means so much to all of us. We’re not done yet. That’s the most important thing. We still know where we want to go.” The Cubs (88-64) seemed destined for the playoffs since going 18-9 in May. Still, this hasn’t been straightforward. They lead the NL Wild Card and are 4 1/2 games back of the first-place Brewers in the Central, having surrendered the division lead on July 28 after sitting
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