Cubs Recap: Jorge Soler clubs pinch-hit home run in win vs Brewers

Chicago lowers magic number to four in win

Chicago Cubs outfielder Jorge Soler entered the game as a pinch-hitter during the bottom half of the seventh and clubbed a three-run homer to center field in the 9-5 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Right-hander Jason Hammel fell behind early by allowing two Brewers to cross home plate on a single by former Houston Astros utility man, Domingo Santana and a throwing error in the first.

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Hammel (9-6, 3.79 ERA) gave up back-to-back singles to Scooter Gennett and Logan Schafer before striking out veteran first baseman Adam Lind for the first out.

Lind hammered a game-tying two-run homer for the Brewers (63-87) in the fifth inning off Hammel, making it a 4-4 ballgame with only one out.

Despite giving up four earned runs, Joe Maddon‘s 33-year-old picked up his ninth victory over the season while issuing one walk and recording six punch-outs across five innings of work.

Reliever Tommy Hunter entered the game in the sixth inning and gave up a lead-off double to Chris Coghlan out in right field. He managed to retire both Hernan Perez and Martin Maldonado before Clayton Richards came in to record the final out.

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With the Cubs (88-62) trailing by two runs in the second, Starlin Castro continued to swing a hot bat by recording an RBI double to center field and advanced to third on a play at home.

Dexter Fowler followed that up with an RBI double of his own that gave his club a one-run lead but was originally called out when sliding into second base. Maddon wanted to challenge and it was revealed that his foot touched the bag before the tag was applied.

Starlin plated his second RBI of the contest on a sacrifice fly to Schafer out in center, allowing third baseman Kris Bryant to score from third, making it 5-4.

Veteran catcher Miguel Montero made it a two-run ballgame on an RBI single of his own.

Tonight’s win lowered Chicago’s magic number down to four.