Pinch hitter Chris Coghlan came through with a go-ahead single in a two-run seventh.
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That roster depth could create a numbers issue when playoff rosters are set and lefty bench bats such as Coghlan, Tommy La Stella (1-for-3 with a walk from the leadoff spot) and maybe even catcher Miguel Montero on a bubble. La Stella pulled a grounder into the hole at second and Gennett ranged into the shallow outfield to field it but then tumbled to the ground and the ball got away from him.
Chicago’s league-leading rotation has been given a bit of a break over the final month, as manager Joe Maddon has turned to a six-man rotation.
Coghlan moved to second on the throw home and scored on an unusual play. Jorge Soler is batting cleanup but is the only strikeout victim of Zach Davies through three innings. Hendricks’ only blunder came in the second inning, when he gave up a solo home run to Chris Carter. Joe Smith is a pretty common name, so the Cubs might want to check they got the same guy back from the disabled list.
The Cubs are closing in on their first division title since 2008, lowering their magic number to clinch the National League Central to 11 Sunday with a 3-2 win in 13 innings to take three of four from San Francisco.
The game got away from the Brewers in the eighth, when the Cubs scored four times. He is 10-1 with a 2.50 ERA in 14 career starts against the Brewers.
Jason Heyward and Javier Baez drove in runs in the eighth off Ben Rowen before Coghlan capped the inning with his hit against Rob Scahill.
The biggest task for the Chicago Cubs in September might just be planning a party to match the one they held in the visitors clubhouse in Pittsburgh after winning last season’s wild-card game. Rondon has been out since August 17 with a strained right triceps.
With the expanded roster at 29 through Monday, the Cubs are expected to add on Tuesday: right-hander Spencer Patton, outfielder Albert Almora and infielder Munenori Kawasaki.
Fowler is not in the lineup Monday against the Brewers. The revitalized Wily Peralta will face Jason Hammel in the second game of the series.
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Sound off on the Chicago Cubs’ Labor Day victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in the comments section below. He’ll square off against the Cardinals this weekend in St. Louis. Sep.
