Edwin Jackson strikes out 11, Cubs win 3-0

Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs exploited their former teammate Matt Garza‘s weakness – bunts – in a 3-0 win over the Brewers Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field.

Emilio Bonifacio led off with a first-pitch bunt single and Chris Coghlan sacrificed him to second.

With two outs, Starlin Castro doubled off the wall in right-center field to drive in Bonifacio and Nate Schierholtz drew a walk before Welington Castillo scored him and Castro with a double into the left field corner.

The three-run first was all Cubs (14-27) starter Edwin Jackson (3-3, 3.98 ERA) needed as he went seven innings, allowing just four hits and struck out 11 against the Brewers (27-16).

The 11 strikeouts were a season-high for Jackson, and marked his seventh-career game in which he has reached double-digit strikeouts. It was also the most strikeouts for the right-hander since he struck out 11 against the New York Mets on Aug. 18, 2012.

The Cubs traded Garza, 30, to the Texas Rangers on July 22 for third baseman Mike Olt, pitchers C.J. Edwards and Justin Grimm and a player to be named (reliever Neil Ramirez). The Brewers signed him in the offseason as a free agent.

Ramirez entered in the eighth and fanned two before Hector Rondon earned the save.

Cubs’ Left-hander Travis Wood (3-4, 4.91 ERA) will take the mound and will be opposed by Brewers’ right-hander Marco Estrada (3-1, 3.28 ERA) in the series finale rubber match Sunday afternoon at 1:20 p.m. CT on WGN.

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