The Milwaukee Brewers won 6-4 Thursday night over the Chicago Cubs to secure a series victory in this four-game set. After recovering from two comeback attempts by their neighbors to the south, Gary Sanchez hit the go-ahead and game-winning two-run home run in the eighth inning. The blast was the Brewers’ first and only home run in a game where the Cubs launched three of their own.
Both starting pitchers performed well, restraining the runs they gave up to one inning, with Jameson Taillon giving up three in the second after Colin Rea gave up one in the opening frame. In a contest where the Chicago Cubs could only manage to score on long balls, the bullpen faltered with Mark Leiter Jr. continuing his struggles, Luke Little taking the loss, and Tyson Miller giving up the dagger to Gary Sanchez.
Early Offense in Series Finale
Cody Bellinger got the scoring going in the matinee series finale for the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers. Trying to salvage a series split in Milwaukee, the Cubs slugger hit a solo shot off of Brewers starter and former Cub Colin Rea. The home run was a sign of things to come for the Chicago Cubs offense.
Jameson Taillon took the mound with a lead and had it for all of 1.2 innings. After a lead-off double from the proverbial thorn in the Cubs’ side, Willy Adames, Gary Sanchez was able to later bring him in on a sacrifice fly to tie the ball game up at 1-1. Adames had a tremendous series against the Chicago Cubs, and Sanchez was not done doing damage on Thursday afternoon.
Starters Settle Down
After each team got on the scoreboard early, both starters were able to limit the opposing offense for the rest of their outings. Colin Rea pitched well for the second consecutive game as he recovered from a poor stretch earlier this month.
Jameson Taillon’s struggles continued despite only giving up runs in one inning. The veteran right-hander had lost his previous three starts, and his outings have gotten worse since his stellar start to 2024 coming off the IL in April.
Rea went 5 1/3 IP, giving up five hits, a walk, and just one run, striking out five and throwing 79 pitches. Rea was lifted from the game after Cody Bellinger got another knock-off of him, this time a double. It was the third time through the order and also the third time the Chicago Cubs had been in scoring position in the game.
Taillon lasted six full innings against the Milwaukee Brewers, allowing six hits, walking a batter, and striking out four on 87 pitches. The six-inning total for Taillon is the longest outing he has had in almost a month, and he surrendered three runs for the third straight outing.
Milwaukee Brewers Power Surge Late
Both offenses came to life with the starters out of the game. Joel Payamps was able to strand Bellinger in the sixth to keep the Milwaukee lead at 3-1, but the seventh inning would see an audible payoff for Craig Counsell in his former ballpark.
The Chicago skipper opted to pinch-hit Seiya Suzuki for the recently recalled Pete Crow-Armstrong when his counterpart, Pat Murphy, tapped Bryan Hudson to come into the game. Counsell won this round as Suzuki cracked a two-run homer to left-center field to tie the game.
The lead wouldn’t hold for long, as with the Chicago Cubs bullpen in action starting in the seventh, the Brew Crew were ready to take advantage. Blake Perkins continued to show his versatility in the series with his own two-out rally by first reaching on an infield single, then stealing second and making it to third on a wild pitch from Mark Leiter Jr.
Perkins broke for home on a weakly-hit ball from Brice Turing that died on the third base side of the mound and the speedy shortstop beat Leiter Jr.’s throw, and the Brewers regained the lead.
The Chicago Cubs would use the long ball to tie the game again though, in the top of the eighth. The struggling Christopher Morel got a hold of the fastball and put it in right-center field to make it a 4-4 game. However, the fourth home run of the day would rule the day and it came off the bat of Gary Sanchez.
After blowing a first and second, no out opportunity, it was looking like the ninth inning would decide this one. With Luke Little on the mound and Sanchez coming to the plate, Craig Counsell decided to make a move.
This decision did not turn out as well as the Suzuki move, and when Tyson Miller came into the game, Sanchez greeted him with a two-run moon shot to center to make it a 6-4 Brewer lead. It was a deficit that the Chicago Cubs couldn’t overcome.
From This Series:
Milwaukee Brewers Ride 5-Run Eighth to Victory Over Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs Rookie Leads Team to Victory Over Milwaukee Brewers
Chicago Cubs Cy Young Candidate Gets Rocked in Milwaukee| May 29, 2024
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