The Chicago Cubs currently hold a 29-19 record and maintain a slim half-game lead in the NL Central. In the past 24 hours, the club’s historic 15-game home winning streak at Wrigley Field ended. The Milwaukee Brewers defeated them 9-3.
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The Brewers dismantled the Cubs with a 13-hit attack. A four-run fourth inning highlighted their performance. A three-run fifth put the game out of reach early. Starting pitcher Shota Imanaga suffered his worst outing of the year, posting a line of 4.1 IP, 9 H, 8 ER, 3 BB, and 2 K on 79 pitches before being replaced in the fifth. Dansby Swanson provided a spark with a 430-foot two-run home run. The Cubs’ bullpen faced heavy usage. Ethan Roberts threw 28 pitches over 1.2 innings. Ty Blach tossed 3.0 innings of one-hit relief to finish the game.
Michael Busch consistently played well in the lineup. He finished 2-for-2 with two doubles and one RBI. He also had one walk and a hit-by-pitch to reach base in every plate appearance. His run-scoring double in the fifth inning briefly reduced the lead. His disciplined approach also raised his season OBP to .367. Busch’s ability to drive the ball to center field stood out. It was a rare highlight on a night where the team went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
The Cubs look to even the series tonight at Wrigley Field with Ben Brown (1-1, 1.60 ERA) facing Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski (3-2, 2.12 ERA).
Losing a 15-game home streak is a tough pill to swallow, but a win tonight keeps the division lead secure. What do you think?
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