Chicago Cubs Recap: Offense wakes up, pours it on in win over Brewers

Three Chicago Cubs players tallied at least three knocks as the offense picked up a full head of steam in an 11-6 rout of the Milwaukee Brewers Saturday night.

That whole Chicago Cubs’ offensive slump everyone was talking about this morning?

That’s over.

Chicago plated runs in five different innings, setting a season-high in both base hits and runs scored against a Milwaukee pitching staff that could do no right Saturday.

Trailing 2-0 in the third, slumping Kris Bryant broke out in a big way. His two-run double got the offense rolling and a Ben Zobrist RBI groundout gave the Cubs a lead they never relinquished.

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Bryant was one of three Cubs hitters to tally three hits on the night. Albert Almora and Addison Russell both got things rolling at the dish, as well.

Things were still in reach for Milwaukee in the middle innings, but Chicago broke it open with a four-run eighth inning. The frame was capped by a two-run Willson Contreras double. Javier Baez followed with a knock of his own as part of a 2-for-4 night.

Leadoff hitter Kyle Schwarber struggled badly, going 1-for-6 with a pair of strikeouts.

Uncharacteristic outing for Hendricks

Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks (1-0, 6.00) tied his season-high from last season, allowing four runs. He did manage six strikeouts, but served up a pair of long-balls over six innings of work.

The right-hander struggled badly early-on, missing with his location several times in the first. Before the frame drew to a close, Milwaukee had put Chicago in an early 2-0 hole.

Last season’s ERA leader, Hendricks settled into a nice groove – setting down 10-straight at one point near the middle of his start. The Cubs bullpen, meanwhile, combined to allow two runs – on a ninth-inning homer – over three innings of work.

Cubs Player of the Game

Bryant had drawn all kinds of worry from Cubs fans after the season’s first four games. Simply put, we knew he was too good of a hitter to let this cold streak linger, and Saturday proved just that.

His three hits and three runs batted in led the entire team on a night when the offense was hardly in short supply. A productive KB in the middle of the Cubs’ lineup completely changes the offense.

Next: Brewers won't be laughingstock for much longer

What’s Next

Chicago (3-2) concludes its three-game set with Milwaukee (2-4) on Sunday afternoon. In the finale, Jake Arrieta (1-0, 0.00) starts for the Cubs, while Zach Davies starts for the Brewers.