Kris Bryant homers as Brewers crush Chicago Cubs, 12-4

Kris Bryant hits first home run in losing effort against the Brewers

The Chicago Cubs were down early after Travis Wood gave up a two-run homer to Gerardo Parra, but the Cubs would answer back in the top of the third. Addison Russell singled and Dexter Fowler hit a ground-rule double to put two on for Kris Bryant. Brewers’ pitcher Kyle Lohse served up an 83 MPH slider over the plate and Bryant launched it into center field for his first MLB homer.

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That would be the end of the Cubs highlights as the Brewers would bounce Wood out early and knock around the bullpen in a 12-4 Cubs (15-14) loss.

The Brewers (10-21) scored early and often tonight, with the twelve runs being scored from the second inning straight through to the sixth. Khris Davis and Parra were the two big bats that did the most damage on the Cubs pitching. Davis finishing the night 3-for-3, two doubles, three RBI, two runs scored. Parra went 2-for-2 with a homer and four runs driven in.

The Cubs would put their fourth run on the board that came from a Starlin Castro single that scored Jorge Soler who doubled to lead off the top of the fourth.

Wood (2-2, 4.96 ERA) got the hook after just four innings pitched. He’d finish his four innings of work giving up six runs – four earned, six hits, one walk, and three K’s. His counterpart Kyle Lohse (2-4, 7.03 ERA) fared better, pitching five innings, giving up four runs on seven hits, and striking out seven.

What Stood Out:

The pitching was roughed up, specifically Travis Wood, Edwin Jackson, and Phil Coke. Jackson faced only three batters – walking two and giving up a hit to the other and was charged with three runs. Coke took over for Jackson, lasting one inning, giving up a home run.

With the bullpen needing a bit of a break, Joe Maddon tapped David Ross to pitch the eighth inning – the first time Ross ever pitched in his career. He would sit down the Brewers in order while pitching a knuckleball and a not-so-fastball maxed out at 76 MPH.

The defense again wasn’t very clean. Two early errors by Starlin Castro and Addison Russell did cost the Cubs two runs early on and extend the innings.

The Cubs once again made an average pitcher look like a punch out machine, this time striking out 10 times.

At least Kris Bryant did hit his first career MLB home run – it would be his lone hit on the night. Now that the first is finally been hit, hopefully he can start to feel even more relaxed at the plate and start driving the ball more.

On a lighter note, someone in the equipment room needs to check the uniforms they place out for the Cubs. Jonathan Herrera came into the game in the sixth inning to play second and was wearing the road uniform that says “Chicago” on the front – the rest of the team wore the “Cubs” road uniforms.

Oops! They caught the mistake after an inning and fixed it.

What is Next:

The final game in the weekend series for the Chicago Cubs (15-14) vs. the Milwaukee Brewers (10-21) will feature a pitching matchup of current Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks (0-1, 5.61 ERA) against former Cubs pitcher Matt Garza (2-4, 4.58 ERA).

Hendricks coming off another outing where he struggled with his command early on and found himself on the losing side against the St. Louis Cardinals, giving up four runs on six hits through his five innings of work. He is still looking for that elusive first win of the season, but he’ll have to find the accuracy that he relied on all last year in order for that to happen.

Garza has been hit hard at Miller Park this season. At home this season, Garza is 0-3 with a 5.29 ERA, allowing 19 hits, 10 runs, three homers in 17 innings pitched. Batters are also hitting .271 against the former Cubs pitcher.

First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 CT.

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Kris Bryant hits first home run in losing effort against the Brewers

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