Game One Hundred Four – Cubs 4, Brewers 3
WP – Clayton Richard (2-0) LP – Kyle Lohse (5-13) Save – Hector Rondon (16)
Clayton Richard limited the Brewers to one run in six innings and doubled in a run in the fourth. Addison Russell homered and Kris Bryant drove in a run in the fifth as the Cubs held on and beat the Brewers on Sunday afternoon at Miller Park.
The Cubs improved to a season-high 10 games over .500 after Joe Maddon’s team completed the first four-game sweep in Milwaukee since 2008.
Anthony Rizzo (0-for-4 with a RBI) did not extend his home run streak but he did drive in Dexter Fowler (1-for-5 with a run scored) with a fielder’s choice in the first inning. Addison Russell (1-for-4 with a home run) hit a solo shot in the second and Clayton Richard (1-for-3 with a double and a RBI) doubled in Jorge Soler (1-for-4 with a run scored) in the fourth.
Kris Bryant (1-for-2 with a walk and a RBI) singled to center and plated Kyle Schwarber (1-for-4 with a HBP and a run scored) with the fourth run in the fifth inning. Bryant left the game after being hit in the head by a hard, legal tag from Jean Segura as he slid in headfirst at second base. Reports after the game indicated Bryant felt fine and will be examined Monday in Pittsburgh.
Clayton Richard put together a very good outing. Richard pounded the strike zone and the only mistake he really made was a wild pitch in the second inning that led to the Brewers’ run. Starlin Castro made a tremendous diving stop on a ball ticketed for center off the bat of Adam Lind in the third that kept the Brewers from tying the game.
Clayton Richard retired the last 10 batters he faced and he helped his own cause. Richard doubled in Jorge Soler with the Cubs’ third run in the fourth inning.
Clayton Richard allowed one run on five hits with no walks and three strikeouts. Richard made 96 pitches, 64 for strikes, in six innings.
James Russell and Pedro Strop kept the Brewers off the bases in the seventh and eighth innings. Cubs’ pitching set down 16 in a row from the third through the eighth inning.
Hector Rondon allowed the Brewers to get back in the game in the ninth inning. And an error by Starlin Castro gave the Brewers an extra out. Rondon was charged with two runs, one earned, on three hits with a strikeout and no walks.
Starlin Castro’s defense saved a run in the third inning but his error in the ninth prolonged the inning. The Brewers made it a 4-3 game after Castro booted a routine grounder and put the tying run in scoring position.
Joe Maddon was ejected in the third inning for arguing a challenge on a close play at first base that was upheld by review.
With Sunday’s win (10-8 on Sunday in 2015), the Cubs improved to 57-47 on the season.
Dexter Fowler started the game with a single to right (1-0 pitch). Kyle Schwarber was plunked on a 0-2 offering and put two on with no outs. Chris Coghlan appeared to work a walk, did not get the call on 3-1 pitch. Coghlan flied out to left (3-2 count). Fowler tagged and went to third.
Anthony Rizzo pulled a 0-2 pitch into the shift. Elian Herrera fielded the ball in short right and threw to second to force Schwarber. Fowler scored as Rizzo beat Segura’s throw to first base … 1-0 Cubs. Kris Bryant walked. Jorge Soler chopped a 2-0 pitch back to the mound. Lohse knocked the ball down and threw to first to end the inning. Kyle Lohse threw 28 pitches in the first inning, 17 for strikes.
Clayton Richard pitched around a two-out double by Ryan Braun in the first. Richard made only 10 pitches, seven for strikes, in the opening inning.
After one complete, the Cubs had a 1-0 lead.
Starlin Castro lined out to center and Clayton Richard flied out to center for the first two outs in the second inning.
Addison Russell gave the Cubs a little breathing room with a mammoth home run to center. Fowler grounded out to third base to end the inning. Lohse needed 39 pitches, 23 for strikes, to complete two innings.
Khris Davis flied out to center to start the second. Elian Herrera and Shane Peterson followed with singles. With runners on first and second, Richard uncorked a wild pitch on a 1-2 offering to Hernan Perez. Both Herrera and Peterson moved up 90 feet. And the wild pitch cost the Cubs a run.
Hernan Perez grounded a 3-2 pitch back up the middle that Castro fielded and threw to first for the out. Herrera scored on the play, 2-1 Cubs. Lohse fouled out to Rizzo to end the inning.
At the end of two it was 2-1 Cubs.
Chris Coghlan singled to left with one out on the third and stole second with Bryant at the plate. Kris Bryant was caught looking to end the inning.
Clayton Richard retired Segura (liner to right) and Lucroy (swinging strikeout) for the first two outs in the third. Ryan Braun doubled to left on a 1-2 pitch. Adam Lind grounded a 1-2 pitch back up the middle. Starlin Castro made a sensational diving stop and threw to first from his knees. Rizzo stretched toward the outfield grass to try to complete the play. Rizzo scooped and appeared to keep his toe on the bag. Lind was called safe.
Joe Maddon asked for a review, the call on the field was confirmed and the Cubs’ skipper was ejected from the game. Maddon questioned the review which is against the rules.
What was lost in the review and ejection was that Starlin Castro kept the tying run from scoring. Khris Davis lined Richard’s first pitch to Castro to end the inning.
The Cubs had a 2-1 lead after three innings.
Jorge Soler and Starlin Castro singled to right center to start the fourth. Richard missed a sign and Castro was thrown out at second base trying to advance on the first pitch. With Soler still at third, Richard doubled down the left field line. Soler scored, 3-1 Cubs. Russell grounded out to the hole at short and Fowler was caught looking at a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.
Clayton Richard pitched a 1-2-3 fourth inning.
The Cubs added to their 3-1 lead in the fifth inning. Kyle Schwarber singled to right center. Chris Coghlan singled to right and Rizzo stepped in with runners on first and second with no outs. Rizzo struck out swinging for the first out.
Kris Bryant singled to center on a 2-2 pitch. Schwarber scored and Bryant advanced to second on the throw that was cut off by Adam Lind. Jean Segura caught the ball, applied a hard tag and hit Bryant on the head.
While the play was under review at second base, P.J. Mainville and Dave Martinez checked on a wobbly Kris Bryant. And he left the game. Jonathan Herrera ran for Bryant at second base after the call was upheld.
Craig Counsell decided that was enough for Kyle Lohse and went to his pen for Tyler Thornburg.
With the infield in and runners on second and third with one out, Jorge Soler rolled a 1-1 pitch toward short. Segura fielded and threw home. Coghlan was out by several feet. Castro was intentionally walked to load the bases. Richard struck out swinging (2-2 pitch) to end the inning.
Clayton Richard set the Brewers down in order in the fifth.
And after five complete, the Cubs led 4-1.
The Cubs bullpen did an excellent job of keeping the Brewers off the bases in relief of Richard. But the Cubs were not able to add to the lead after the fifth inning.
Hector Rondon took the hill for the ninth inning with the Cubs leading 4-1.
Ryan Braun started the ninth with a single to right. Adam Lind singled to left. Braun went to third with no outs. Rondon struck out Khris Davis swinging.
Elian Herrera grounded a 2-2 pitch to Russell. Lind was forced at second as Braun scored, 4-2 Cubs. Herrera took second on defensive indifference and went to third when Starlin Castro booted a routine grounder off the bat of Shane Peterson.
Hernan Perez singled to left, Herrera scored and all of the sudden it was a 4-3 game. Logan Schafer hit for Francisco Rodriguez and smoked a 0-1 pitch into center … and right to Dexter Fowler to end the game.
The Cubs’ road trip continues Monday with the first of three in Pittsburgh. Jon Lester is scheduled to face Francisco Liriano in the opener (6:05pm CDT).