Anthony Rizzo’s three-run double in the seventh inning helped the Chicago Cubs overcome a four-run deficit and made a victor of Joe Nathan in a 6-5 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. He slogged through a 39-pitch first inning in which the Brewers scored a pair on a couple of walks, a couple of hits, a couple of stolen bases and one play by Lester in which he couldn’t get to first base in time to take a throw from Rizzo to record an out. The Cubs beat the Brewers 6-5, showing their mettle by scoring five runs in the seventh.
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Joe Nathan admitted to more nerves than he would have liked Sunday when making his Cubs debut.
Two games into a season-long 10-game home stand, nobody on the Milwaukee Brewers roster is happier to be back home than outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis. Justin Grimm struck out Chris Carter and looked good doing it, but the platoon advantage raised its head and Joe summoned Clayton Richard to face Scooter Gennett.
“It’s pretty impressive, the numbers at home”, Brewers manager Craig Counsell said.
Anthony Rizzo continued his improvement against left-handed pitching by smacking a three-run double off reliever Will Smith that gave the Cubs the lead for good, and Ben Zobrist followed with his second of two RBI singles that loomed large after closer Hector Rondon allowed a home run to Kirk Nieuwenhuis with two outs in the ninth.
Joe Nathan joins the Cubs bullpen on Sunday, and after another awful performance from Clayton Richard, many believed he had thrown his last pitch as a Cub. The contest lasted more than four hours.
The tone for Saturday’s game might have been set on a first-inning sequence that started with a tough grounder to second baseman Javy Baez with one out that he and shortstop Addison Russell couldn’t turn into a double play.
“That’s a nice problem to have”, Maddon said. Fowler is 3-for-8 with a double and a home run since returning from the disabled list Friday.
SWIPE CITY: The Brewers built a 4-0 lead, stealing six bases in a game for the first time since May 13, 2013. That includes when he caught Jonathan Villar halfway between second and third, too, and had him dead to rights if he could just make a throw to a base. Right-hander Adam Warren was optioned to Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding move.
Brewers: Will Middlebrooks left the game before the top of the fourth a lower right leg strain. Miller Park ground rules only allow the roof to be opened once if it is closed to begin a game.
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Cubs: Jake Arrieta (12-4) takes the mound when Chicago travels to the South Side for an interleague series against the crosstown-rival White Sox. The righty has struggled over his past six outings, going 0-4 with a 9.13 ERA.
