Yan Gomes hit a first-inning grand slam and had five RBIs as the visiting Chicago Cubs overcame blowing an early six-run lead to snap their nine-game road losing streak with a 10-6 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday night.
Gomes’ slam highlighted a six-run first, and he also had an RBI groundout for the Cubs (83-78), who lost that 6-0 lead after two innings. But the Cubs rebounded to score four times in the fourth through sixth innings to snap a four-game overall slide.
However, Chicago, which went 12-16 in September, was officially eliminated from postseason contention with Miami’s 7-3 victory at Pittsburgh.
Meanwhile, Willy Adames had three hits and William Contreras added two to extend his hitting streak to 17 games. Blake Perkins and Carlos Santana homered for the NL Central-champion Brewers (91-70), who had won three straight.
Chicago’s Christopher Morel opened the game with a towering homer off Milwaukee’s Eric Lauer (4-6), pitching in the majors for the first time since May 20. The left-hander walked three of the next four batters before Gomes cleared the center-field wall for his 10th homer. Two batters later, Patrick Wisdom clubbed his 23rd homer.
The Brewers got half of those runs back in the bottom of the first. Rookie Chicago starter Jordan Wicks allowed the first three batters to reach, then yielded a two-run double to Adames. Santana later scored on Tyrone Taylor’s groundout.
Milwaukee erased its six-run hole with three more runs in the second on Perkins’ two-run drive into the left-field seats. Then with two outs, Santana went deep to chase Wicks, who also allowed six hits in 1 2/3 innings.
Chicago, which blew a 6-0 lead during Tuesday’s 7-6 loss at Atlanta, regained the edge with two runs in the fourth. Ian Happ delivered an RBI single and Cody Bellinger a run-scoring double.
All eight runs allowed by Lauer, who also yielded nine hits and four walks over four innings, were earned.
Chicago’s Alexander Canario (3-for-5) had an RBI triple in the fifth to make it 9-6. Meanwhile, Jameson Taillon, in his first career relief appearance, earned the save with four scoreless innings.
–Field Level Media
