Brewers spoil Cubs party with 5-4 win

UPDATE:  "Lovable Loser" Chicago Cubs clinch their division, despite loss

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs have won the National League Central, becoming the first team this season to clinch a division title when the St. Louis Cardinals lost at San Francisco, 6-2. 

The Cubs were defeated 5-4 by the Milwaukee Brewers earlier Thursday night, but captured their first NL Central crown since 2008 when the Giants finished off their victory over the Cards.

Wrigley Field was empty when Matt Adams made the final out on the West Coast, but a loud cheer went up in the neighborhood around the iconic ballpark and several people honked their car horns.

The Cubs have gone 108 years without a World Series championship.

By winning the division, the Cubs ensured they’ll open the postseason by hosting Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Oct. 7.  

The NL Central title is the Cubs’ first since winning back-to-back division titles in 2007 and 2008, points out CBS Sports Writer Mike Axisa. They lost in the NLDS both of those years. The Cubs did win 97 games last season and make the postseason as a wild card, then advance all the way to the National League Championship Series.

CHICAGO (AP) -- Scooter Gennett hit a tiebreaking, two-run double in the seventh inning, and the Milwaukee Brewers spoiled the Chicago Cubs' first opportunity to clinch the NL Central title with a 5-4 victory Thursday night.

Chicago was hoping to begin a 10-game homestand with a boozy celebration of its first division title since 2008. But Keon Broxton homered and Orlando Arcia drove in two runs for Milwaukee, making the Cubs wait for the result of St. Louis' game at San Francisco to find out if their season-long dominance of the Central was complete.

The crowd of 41,362 cheered loudly when Hunter Pence's two-run homer in the first inning against the Cardinals was shown on the video board in left field.