Cubs Win Both Weekend Games, Take Series from Brewers

The power streak continued in the bottom of the third. Christopher Morel got all of a ball to left center field for his seventh home run of the season. 

More power came from the bottom of the lineup in the bottom of the sixth. Patrick Wisdom hit his first homer of the season to extend the Cubs lead to 5-0 over the Brewers. Things were looking up. 

Unfortunately, Keegan Thompson was roughed up after relieving a stout Taillon. An Oliver Dunn triple with Rhys Hoskins on base, a two-run shot from Blake Perkins, and a Sal Frelick double with Jackson Chourio on made it a 5-4 game. 

Luckily, the Cubs added an insurance run late. With Busch on base, Wisdom connected on a single to add the much-needed insurance run. 

Despite giving up a run in the ninth, Hector Neris locked up his sixth save of the season in the 6-5 win and evened the series entering Sunday's rubber match. 

Sunday's Strong Finish

Sunday's game featured a lot of Cubs offense but not until late in the contest. Javier Assad and Freddy Peralta were both really good for their respective clubs, and neither team got on the board until the fifth inning. 

In the bottom of the frame, Nico Hoerner hit his 10th double of the season to score Pete Crow-Armstrong and Miguel Amaya, giving the Cubs a 2-0 lead. A wild pitch in the same inning from Peralta ultimately scored Hoerner to make it 3-0.

The Cubs added on in the sixth. With the bases empty, Dansby Swanson broke out of his recent cold streak and clubbed his fourth home run of the young campaign. 

Christopher Morel put the exclamation point on Sunday's game with a single that scored Mike Tauchman in the bottom of the seventh. The Brewers failed to score and the Cubs coasted to a 5-0 win. 

In the win, Yency Almonte pitched two perfect innings with three strikeouts and Daniel Palencia only allowed one hit as he put a bow on the ninth inning. 

First Battle Complete

The Cubs were one of two teams in baseball up until the weekend series to complete the month of April without playing a division opponent. However, in their first test against the NL Central, the Cubs came out on top. 

This series very much could've been a sweep if not for Adbert Alzolay's implosion on Friday. However, the battle and fight in the team to win a slug match on Saturday and dominate on Sunday says a lot about the Craig Counsell-led Cubs. 

With the Brewers in the rearview, the division makes multiple appearances on the schedule in May. The Cubs see the Pittsburgh Pirates on Mother's Day weekend and the following weekend, see the St. Louis Cardinals, Brewers, and Cincinnati Reds at the end of the month, and have to deal with the San Diego Padres for a series and the Atlanta Braves for two series. It's not an easy schedule, but one that can give the Cubs some cushion if they play really good baseball. 

The offense is getting healthy, Justin Steele is back, and the Cubs can roll assuming their big guns deliver a jolt to the club upon returning. 

What's On Tap Next?

The Cubs open up a three-game set with the Padres beginning on Monday. Ace Justin Steele returns to the rotation to face former Cubs starter Yu Darvish. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. CDT.