Wrapping up the series against the Brew Crew, Jon Lester heads to the mound searching for his 11th win of the season. He will be seeing the Brewers for the first time this season and with the directions both teams are going, this could be a positive for Jon as he takes on Junior Guerra who received a win in May against the Cubs giving up only three runs on five hits but saw Dexter Fowler leading off with a home run.
Lester doesn’t start off great by walking Jonathan Villar, who then steals second and third base and then scores on Hernan Perez’s sac fly to left field. Lester would then give up three singles in a row to Ryan Braun, Jonathan Lucroy and Chris Carter. It would be Carter’s single that gives the Brewers their second run of the game.
The second inning would be peculiar in that Lester strike outs three batters but a passed ball allows Villar to reach first and a wild pitch would allow Braun to reach on their strike outs. He gets out the second and makes it a quick third by retiring all three batters in a row. Despite giving up a walk to Jake Elmore in he bottom of the 4th, he gets caught stealing and strikes out the following two batters almost like it did in the bottom of the 3rd.
Lester would start the 5th off by loading the bases with two walks and a double and that would be enough for Maddon as he brings Justin Grimm into the game and strikes out the first batter he sees for the first out of the inning. Scooter Gennett would send a ground ball to left field adding two runs to the board scoring Bruan and Perez. Grimm does get out of the inning without adding any more runs.
The Cubs would be held to seven base runners through five innings that would not cross home plate. The top of the 6th would see Kris Bryant leading off with a single and advancing to second on a fielding error by Scooter Gennett allowing Anthony Rizzo to reach first base. Ben Zobrist sends a ground ball to right scoring Bryant but that would be all the runs for the Cubs.
The bottom of the 6th would allow us to finally see Joe Nathan since his signing that placed him immediately on the disabled list. He enters the game giving up a a monstrous triple to Jonathan Villar and then walks Hernan Perez who steals second base. He gets his first out by striking out Ryan Braun, then Lucroy and Chris Carter. It started out shaking but he calmed down and took control of the game.
Junior Guerra would get the first batter of the 7th out but gets pulled from the game for Will Smith who gives up a single to Miguel Montero. Matt Szczur reaches first on a fielding error by Jake Elmore at third. Tommy La Stella would send a line drive to right field scoring Montero. The Brewers then decide to intentionally walk Bryant. Rizzo steps to the plate and clears the bases with a three RBI double to center. This prompts the Brewers to change pitchers and bring in Tyler Thornburg. Zo gets a single driving in Rizzo but is caught stealing second in a strike’em out throw’em out with Wilson Comtreras at the plate to end the inning. Cubs 6, Brewers 4.
Travis Wood enters in the bottom of the 7th getting the first out but walks Kirk and gives up a double to Elmore but strikes out Andy Wilkins and gets out of the inning by getting Villar to strike out.
Pedro Strop enters the bottom of the 8th mowing through the heart of the Brewers line up.
Blaine Boyer made it a quick top of the 8th. The top of the 9th would see Szczur leading off with a single but gets caught stealing second. He walks Fowler but Bryant strikes out for the second out of the inning and Rizzo grounds into a force out to end the inning.
Hector Rondon comes into the game for the save opportunity and starts off striking out the first batter, gets the second batter to ground out but gives up a home run to Kirk. Now with one run seperating the two teams Elmore steps into the box. Rondon is able to catch Jake looking to end the game.
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