Brewers hammer
CHICAGO -- Ryan Braun hit two home runs, Chris Carter crushed a grand slam and Domingo Santana added a solo shot as the Milwaukee Brewers routed the National League Central champion Chicago Cubs 11-3 on Saturday afternoon.
Braun smacked a pair of two-run shots and hit an RBI single for five RBIs against a Cubs team that played mostly reserves after clinching the division title on Thursday.
In an attempt to become the league's first 18-game winner, Cubs starter Jake Arrieta (17-7) allowed four runs (three earned), struck out five and walked four in six innings.
In his previous start, Arrieta gave up three runs in 5 1/3 innings against Houston while dealing with an illness. The reigning NL Cy Young winner's ERA in September is 4.15.
Brewers rookie Zach Davies (11-7) surrendered three runs and seven hits in five innings.
Cubs manager Joe Maddon has been resting his regulars after the team clinched the division. But Kris Bryant asked to be in the lineup Saturday.
Bryant delivered with an RBI triple in the first inning. Chris Coghlan followed with a two-run homer, his first home run of the season with the Cubs. He has six overall; the other five were with Oakland.
After Coghlan's homer, Davies struck out three straight.
The Brewers scored a run in the fourth on Braun's single after Scooter Gennett reached on third baseman Tommy La Stella's error and advanced on a wild pitch.
The Cubs loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the inning, but Davies got a strikeout and a double play to prevent any scoring.
The Brewers took a 4-3 lead on Braun's 29th home run of the season, a two-run shot in the sixth. In the inning, Milwaukee scored three runs, including Gennett's RBI double, after Jonathan Villar walked and stole second.
Braun hit his second home run in the eighth off Carl Edwards Jr. for a 6-3 lead. Santana followed with his ninth homer of the year, which cleared the left-field bleachers.
Braun struck out with the bases loaded in the ninth before Carter hit his grand slam off the videoboard.
NOTES: Brewers 3B Jonathan Villar moved into third place for stolen bases in a season in team history with his 55th in the first inning. He passed Pat Listach, who had 54 in 1992. Villar added a stolen base in the sixth inning. ... The Brewers recalled OF Michael Reed from Triple-A Colorado Springs after OF Keon Broxton suffered a season-ending injury Friday. Broxton broke his right wrist crashing into the center field wall during Milwaukee's 5-4 loss to the Cubs. Reed went 2-for-6 in seven previous games with the Brewers this season. ... Brewers RHP Junior Guerra (9-3, 2.81 ERA) is being shut down for the rest of season because he has reached his innings limit, manager Craig Counsell said. Guerra is healthy, Counsell added. ... Cubs OF Jorge Soler was not expected to play Saturday against the Brewers because of a tight side. ... Cubs manager Joe Maddon said the team has yet to decide whether LHP Mike Montgomery will remain in the starting rotation. Montgomery has been pitching as the sixth starter.