The Milwaukee Brewers' Jake Bauers reacts after striking out with bases loaded to end the eighth inning of Game 3 of a National League Division Series against the Cubs on Wednesday in Chicago. (AP photo)

CHICAGO — Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a tiebreaking two-run single and the Chicago Cubs avoided a sweep by holding off the Milwaukee Brewers for a 4-3 victory in Game 3 of their NL Division Series on Wednesday.

Crow-Armstrong’s two-out swing was part of a four-run first inning for Chicago — continuing a wild trend. Michael Busch kicked off the rally by becoming the first player in major league history with multiple leadoff homers in a single postseason series.

The matchup of NL Central rivals is the first postseason series in which both teams scored in the first in each of the first three games. Game 4 was set for Thursday night.

“Yeah, I’m going to tell our guys it’s the first inning every inning tomorrow,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “I think that’s our best formula right now offensively.”

Jake Bauers rallied Milwaukee with an RBI single in the fourth and a leadoff drive in the seventh. He started at first base in place of Andrew Vaughn, who hit a three-run homer in the Brewers’ 7-3 victory in Game 2 on Monday night.

Milwaukee loaded the bases in the eighth, but Brad Keller escaped the jam when he struck out Bauers on a foul tip on a 97 mph fastball. Keller then retired the side in order in the ninth for the save.

“He’s got a great fastball. He got it by me,” Bauers said.

Looking to sweep their way to the franchise’s first trip to the NL Championship Series since 2018, Milwaukee jumped in front in the first.

With runners on first and second with one out, William Contreras hit a mile-high popup that Busch lost in the sun before it landed in the infield for a single. Sal Frelick followed with a sacrifice fly off Jameson Taillon.

Chicago got the run right back when Busch drove a full-count cutter from Quinn Priester deep to right-center, delighting the crowd of 40,737 at Wrigley Field. It was the first baseman’s team-high third homer of the postseason.

Busch said he had to move on right away after the miscue with the popup in the top of the first.

A single by Nico Hoerner and walks to Kyle Tucker and Ian Happ loaded the bases for Crow-Armstrong, who chased Priester with a liner to right. Happ made it 4-1 when he scampered home on a wild pitch from Nick Mears.

The 23-year-old Crow-Armstrong is batting .227 (5 for 22) with 11 strikeouts in six games in his first postseason. But the All-Star center fielder also hit a key RBI single off Yu Darvish in a clinching 3-1 victory over San Diego in the wild-card round.

It was a rough homecoming for Priester after a breakout performance this season. The 25-year-old right-hander, who grew up in the Chicago area, threw 39 pitches, 21 for strikes.

“Very frustrating. Very frustrated with that first inning, the only inning,” Priester said. “Command wasn’t good. My stuff wasn’t coming out the way I wanted it to and ultimately it falls on to me to make an adjustment.”

Taillon surrendered Bauers’ run-scoring single in the fourth. But the veteran right-hander limited the damage when he retired Joey Ortiz on a grounder to third, stranding runners on second and third.

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