The Brewers have allowed 11 runs in their last three games and five or more runs in five of their last 10 games.
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Of course, in retrospect, the Chicago Cubs probably aren’t complaining too much.
Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit two home runs, and Zach Davies took a shutout into the seventh inning as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs 6-1 on Saturday night.
“They are really hunkered down, trying to figure out what’s best for us right now”, Maddon said. “You want to have bragging rights in your city”.
Jonathan Villar was ruled safe on the field, but replays showed Anthony Rizzo had tagged him just before he got his hand back on first base. Ben Zobrist finished with two hits and a walk and drove in a pair of runs.
He’ll be facing Milwaukee for the second time this season – he allowed a run and struck out five on May 18 – and has a 5-1 record with a 2.95 ERA in nine career starts against the Brewers, including a 1-0 record and 0.90 ERA in his last three.
“I’m usually a lot cleaner than that”, Lester said.
“It started off with me throwing the ball away, so I kind of did it myself there”.
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Will Smith reacts after giving up a double to Chicago Cubs’ Tommy La Stella during the seventh inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 24, 2016, in Milwaukee.
Ryan Braun singled, stole second and took third on an single by Jonathan Lucroy and then scored on Chris Carter’s RBI single as Milwaukee took a 2-0 lead.
The Cubs broke through against the Brewers bullpen after struggling with runners in scoring position against starter Junior Guerra.
Montgomery is 3-4 with a 2.34 ERA (16 ER/61.2 IP) in 32 appearances, all but two in relief, with the Mariners this season.
Gregory Polanco and David Freese hit two-run singles during a five-run fifth inning to rally Pittsburgh over the Philadelphia Phillies 7-4 on Saturday after top Pirates prospect Tyler Glasnow was removed with shoulder discomfort.
“It was a long game”, Counsell said. The 41-year-old Nathan has been on a 30-day rehab assignment in the Cubs minor-league system but hasn’t appear in a major league game since April 6, 2015, with Detroit.
“I think tonight we saw a dose of uncertainty”, Coshun went on to say about Nelson, “He’s a guy that battles and keeps the team in the game”.
Jason Hammel tossed five-plus innings of two-run ball to get the win.
The Cubs will activate Joe Nathan off the 60-day disabled list before Sunday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park, adding a six-time All-Star closer who ranks eighth all-time with 377 career saves. He was signed by the Cubs in May. Adam Warren was optioned to Triple-A Iowa, where he’ll return to a starting role.
Jimmy Nelson gave up a lead-off homer to Dexter Fowler, freshly back from the disabled list, and Scooter Gennett muffed a soft liner by Kris Bryant for an error.
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Turner’s two-run double capped a four-run third.
