CHICAGO — There was a sense of nervous anxiety around Wrigley Field on Wednesday afternoon.

The Cubs, down two games to none in the best-of-five NL Division Series to the Milwaukee Brewers, potentially were playing their last game of 2025.

After John Vincent wrapped up his rendition of the national anthem before the game, the speakers at The Friendly Confines began to blare the 2009 Black Eyed Peas hit, “I Gotta Feeling.”

“I gotta feeling,” Will.I.Am, the lead vocalist of the group, sings, “that tonight’s gonna be a good night. That tonight’s gonna be a good, good night.”

The game operations team at Wrigley tried so hard to inject good vibes and aura into the crowd, and yet the 10 players who actually don Cubs pinstripes didn’t sense that nervous energy.

Not when they had gone through something similar six days earlier against the San Diego Padres in a winner-take-all game in the NL Wild Card Series at Wrigley. And it showed as they prevailed 4-3 over the Brewers, forcing another elimination game Thursday against their NL Central rivals.

“Obviously, there’s a sense of urgency at all times in the playoffs, and you don’t need to force that too much — but I felt like guys didn’t shy away from that in that elimination game,” Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner said. “Obviously it’s not the position you want to be in in Game 3 in a DS, but the confidence and energy going into today was pretty cool.”

The Cubs jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the first — after a wonky fly ball loaded the bases and led to a Brewers run. But the Cubs never were able to get that insurance run they so desperately wanted later in the game.

And as Milwaukee chipped away at the deficit, the tension only rose.

Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio led off the eighth with a double, putting the potential tying run in scoring position. Two batters later, catcher William Contreras walked to put the potential go-ahead run on base.

Cubs reliever Brad Keller entered with two outs, walked the first batter to load the bases, then struck out Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers to wiggle out of the jam, generating a giant roar from the 40,737 in attendance.

The nerves settled for a moment — and remained out of Cubs players’ thoughts all the way.

“It’s a little bit more tense, I think, for people watching than it is for the people playing,” Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson said. “We’ve done such a good job all year, being able to pass the baton, not only as an offense but on the pitching side as well. Just guys coming in, executing pitches, making big pitches when they have to. Defense stepping up when it’s needed.

“We got a really good group, and we’re going to continue to fight and keep pressing on.”

The Cubs have preached all season staying day-to-day: Don’t let the highs get too high or let the lows crater too much. It’s not what fans want to hear. They want the urgency of trying to go 162-0, but it’s the mindset that led the Cubs to 92 wins this season.

It’s the mentality that has them in the final seven teams competing to become World Series champions.

And it’s an attitude that’s been hardened by playing two elimination games.

“It’s fun and stressful in the same sentence and the same light,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “And I think you feel both emotions a lot, but you know you’re playing to play tomorrow.

“That can’t help but give you something else, right? It just — it has to.”

It did turn out to be a good, good night, just like the Black Eyed Peas said.

Now, they have to go do it again Thursday.