Brewers: Zach Davies masterful in win at Wrigley
By Phil Watson
Milwaukee Brewers rookie right-hander Zach Davies held the red-hot Chicago Cubs to just two hits and a walk in six scoreless innings Wednesday night and the Brewers snapped a nine-game skid against their rivals from the North Side with a 4-1 win at Wrigley Field.
Davies (2-2) posted his third quality start in five big-league outings and out-dueled second-year right-hander Kyle Hendricks, who allowed only four hits over six innings himself, as the Brewers won for just the second time in 12 games.
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“It was a great performance and I think a real confidence builder for him,” manager Craig Counsell told MLB.com of Davies. “That’s a huge confidence for him that he knows he has weapons to get major league hitters out and go through good lineups. He went through that lineup pretty stress-free.”
With the loss, the Cubs (89-63) fell three games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates for the first National League wild-card spot. Pittsburgh clinched a postseason berth with a 13-7 win at Colorado Wednesday night.
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Chicago maintained a 9½-game lead over the San Francisco Giants for the second wild-card berth and clinches a playoff spot with a win and a Giants loss … or two wins … or two Giants losses … you get the picture. The Cubs in the playoffs is a thing that is happening.
Davies surrendered both hits he allowed in the second inning, a ground ball up the middle by Jorge Soler and an infield single by Javier Baez on a call that was overturned on replay.
Milwaukee (64-88) finally got to Hendricks (7-7) in the fifth to break a scoreless tie.
Jean Segura reached on an infield single to shortstop with two outs, stole second and scored on Luis Sardinas’ single to left.
In the seventh, Adam Lind led off with a double and scored when Khris Davis lined a base hit to right, chasing Hendricks.
Domingo Santana worked a walk against reliever Justin Grimm and Sardinas loaded the bases with a one-out walk. Martin Maldonado’s fly ball to left was deep enough to score Davis for a 3-0 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, Soler lined his 10th homer of the season to left-center off left-hander Will Smith for the Cubs’ only run.
The Brewers added insurance in the ninth. Santana walked, advanced to second on Segura’s swinging bunt, moved to third when Sardinas bounced out and scored on a single to left by Maldonado.
Davies struck out four in his gem, throwing 90 pitches before being lifted for a pinch-hitter in the seventh.
Smith struck out one in the seventh along with giving up the homer to Soler. Jeremy Jeffress worked around a hit in the eighth and Francisco Rodriguez struck out one in a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his 35th save.
Sep 23, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Milwaukee Brewers catcher Martin Maldonado (12) hits an RBI single during the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Milwaukee won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Milwaukee finished with six hits and climbed back out of last place in the NL Central when the Cincinnati Reds lost at St. Louis 10-2.
The Brewers open a four-game series against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium Thursday at 6:15 p.m.
Rookie right-hander Taylor Jungmann (9-6, 3.31 ERA) takes the ball against right-hander Michael Wacha (16-6, 3.08).
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Jungmann is facing St. Louis for the first time in his career and is winless over his last three starts, including surrendering six runs—five earned—on eight hits with a walk and four strikeouts in five innings, taking a no-decision in a 9-7 loss to the Reds at Miller Park on Saturday.
Wacha is 1-0 in two starts and a relief appearance against the Brewers, with a 6.10 ERA and 1.742 WHIP in 10.1 innings, striking out 13.
He has a pair of no-decisions this season against Milwaukee, allowing four runs on 11 hits in 9.1 innings with three walks and 12 strikeouts.
Wacha lost his last start on Saturday at Wrigley, allowing four runs on six hits in five innings with four walks and seven strikeouts in a 5-4 win for the Cubs.
St. Louis goes into the series having already clinched a playoff spot and holds a four-game lead over the Pirates for the division lead.
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