Willy Adames hit a three-run homer and rookie Robert Gasser tossed six-plus scoreless innings to pace the Milwaukee Brewers to a 5-1 victory over the visiting Cubs on Monday, spoiling the return of Chicago manager Craig Counsell.
The game marked the first trip back to Milwaukee for Counsell, who jumped to the arch-rival Cubs after managing the Brewers for most of the last nine seasons. Counsell was roundly booed during the pregame introductions.
After being held scoreless through seven innings by Cubs starter Justin Steele, the Brewers broke through for five runs in the eighth against the bullpen. The Cubs got their lone run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Patrick Wisdom.
Sal Frelick opened the Brewers eighth with a pinch single against Mark Leiter Jr. (1-3), who relieved Steele to start the inning. Brice Turang walked and William Contreras followed with a hard-hit grounder that third baseman Nick Madrigal couldn’t handle. Frelick came around on the error to snap the scoreless tie.
Leiter struck out Christian Yelich but gave way to Hayden Wesneski. Adames greeted him with his eighth homer, sending a 3-0 pitch 427 feet to center to make it 4-0.
Joey Ortiz walked and Jackson Chourio capped the five-run outburst with an RBI double.
Neither starter allowed a run. Steele allowed three hits over seven innings, striking out eight and walking one.
Gasser, making his fourth big league start, allowed three hits, striking out seven and walking none. Gasser retired the first nine before Nico Hoerner singled to center to open the fourth.
The Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki and Cody Bellinger opened the seventh with back-to-back singles. Bryan Hudson relieved Gasser and struck out Christopher Morel, got Wisdom on a pop to second and then got Dansby Swanson on a called third strike.
Hudson (3-0) added a scoreless eighth for the win and Hoby Milner finished.
Milwaukee threatened in the third when Turang walked and Contreras singled. But Turang was picked off by Steele and thrown out heading for third, snapping his streak of 36 consecutive successful steals, the longest active streak in the majors.
–Field Level Media
