Cubs 8, Brewers 0
Cubs 8, Brewers 0: Starlin Castro and Alfonso Soriano each drove in a pair of runs and Matt Garza dominated over 8 2/3 innings as Chicago finally broke out and avoided a four-game sweep.
David DeJesus and Steve Clevenger each added two hits and two runs scored for the Cubs, who improved to 2-5 on their season-opening seven-game homestand.
Milwaukee starter Zack Greinke (1-1) had all kinds of trouble on the road last season and that problem appears to have carried over into 2012. After dominating in a start at Miller Park last week, Greinke was lit up for nine hits and eight runs in 3 2/3 innings.
Most of the damage came on singles, as Chicago got on a roll and did not stop. Reed Johnson drove in the first run with a single in the third and Darwin Barney, Castro, Soriano and Ian Stewart hit back-to-back-to-back-to-back RBI singles in the six-run frame.
The Cubs were at it again in the sixth, grabbing two more runs on singles to end Greinke’s day.
Garza (1-0) had no such trouble. The right-hander surrendered three hits and walked two while striking out nine. He was on the verge of his first shutout since July 26, 2010, when he made a throwing error with two outs in the ninth. Shawn Camp came on for the final out.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Greinke is 0-2 in two career starts at Wrigley Field, having surrendered 16 runs - 14 earned - in nine total innings. … Soriano also stole a base and has three multi-RBI games in the last five contests. … Brewers LF Ryan Braun (chest) went 0-for-3 after missing Wednesday’s contest.