There was a time during the regular season when the Chicago Cubs looked like the most complete team in baseball. Their pitching staff certainly got the job done, but it was their hard-hitting lineup that had fans feeling ecstatic about their possible World Series chances. The bats froze in the second half of the campaign, however, and the Milwaukee Brewers overtook the North Siders and the rest of the NL. But October offers everyone a fresh start, and the Cubbies are taking advantage.

Seiya Suzuki, who is slugging like his first-half self this postseason, belted a solo home run off Brewers rookie right-handed pitcher Jacob Misiorowski in the second inning. That 390-foot blast tied the score at 1-1 in Game 5 of the National League Division Series. The 101.4 mph four-seam fastball is the fastest homer the 31-year-old has hit in his MLB career, per ESPN's Jesse Rogers.

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If Suzuki and this offense can regain their early-season brilliance, then maybe Chicago can realign the NL Central hierarchy in this series. The No. 4 seed has already showcased elite power in the playoffs, becoming the first team to hit a home run in the first inning in four consecutive games of the same postseason series. The Cubs got a late start on Saturday, but a second-inning shot will do the trick as well.

Since the Brewers pitched Freddy Peralta on Thursday and do not have a healthy Brandon Woodruff to turn to in this do-or-die matchup, Chicago may have a prime opportunity to pounce on Milwaukee pitching. Thus far, though, the Seiya Suzuki home run is the only big mistake the 23-year-old Misiorowski has made in Game 5. The Brew Crew leads 2-1 in the fifth inning at time of print.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell will need the Japanese slugger, Kyle Tucker, Michael Busch, Pete Crow-Armstrong and the rest of this squad to meet the moment in American Family Field.