The last-place Brewers (48-66) announced before the opener that Doug Melvin is moving into an advisory role after 13 years as general manager. Most of all, there was no letdown against a struggling team after sweeping four games from defending champion San Francisco. “It was definitely a sense of comfort for me having him back there”, said Haren, acquired by Chicago on July 31 from Miami and making his second start.
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Tyler Thornburg walked Rizzo with the bases loaded and hit Soler in the elbow to force in another run, putting the Cubs up 6-1.
Soler extended his hitting streak to 10, and Chicago took advantage of three errors along with some wild pitching on the way to yet another win.
This game had all the makings of a blowout early, as the Cubs scored three times in the second inning, once in the fourth and two more times in the fifth, aided by three Brewers errors and seven free passes (six walks, one HBP). He did considerably better Tuesday, striking out a career-high 11, allowing four hits and finishing seven innings for the first time for the White Sox.
Milwaukee Brewers starter Taylor Jungmann delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Tuesday, August 11, 2015, in Chicago. It was also Dan Haren’s 150th career win and his first with the Cubs. He had missed three games following a death in his family. James Russell worked the ninth for his first save in three chances. And with one out in the ninth, he raced down the right field line and made a sliding catch near the wall on Elian Herrera’s foul pop.
The Cubs’ homegrown, American League-style lineup flexed its muscles once again. After Davis drew a leadoff walk from Haren, Lind mashed a curveball into the right-field bleachers for his 17th home run. He gave up a two-run homer in the fourth inning and departed with no outs in the fifth after walking two batters.
Royals 6, Tigers 1 • Lorenzo Cain went four for four with a home run and Yordano Ventura pitched six scoreless innings as Kansas City defeated visiting Detroit.
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Matt Garza (6-12, 4.95) takes the ball looking to build on one of his best starts as he tries to avoid joining Philadelphia’s Aaron Harang and teammate Kyle Lohse as the majors’ only 13-game losers.
