Brewers hand Cubs' Hendricks first loss in nine starts
CHICAGO -- The Milwaukee Brewers handed Chicago Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks his first loss in nine starts as they claimed a 3-1 victory on Sunday afternoon.
The Brewers (68-82) took three of four from the National League Central champions in the weekend series, but the Cubs (94-55) still won 12 of 19 in the 2016 series.
Brewers right-hander Wily Peralty (7-10) worked six innings for his second win in 12 days over Chicago.
Right-handed reliever Tyler Thornburg earned his 11th save despite putting two Cubs on in the ninth. He struck out Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo to preserve the Milwaukee win.
Hendricks (15-8), a potential Cy Young Award candidate, last lost on July 26 against the White Sox and then won six games and had two no decisions over the next seven-plus weeks.
The Brewers scored two runs in the second and Chris Carter added an insurance run as he slugged his team leading 36th home run of the season off Cubs reliever Felix Pena in the eighth.
Carter closed to within one homer of Bryant, whose 37 homers are second in the NL.
Chicago fielded its normal starting lineup after manager Joe Maddon gave nearly all regular position players the last two days off.
The Brewers hit Hendricks for three straight base hits and two runs in the second as they opened a 2-0 lead.
Hernan Perez led off the inning with a single and Milwaukee delivered three straight singles with two outs to score Perez and Peralta.
After putting runners in scoring position in the second through fifth innings but failing to score, the Cubs finally broke the shutout in the sixth.
Javier Baez reached on a fielder's choice and came home on pinch hitter Tommy La Stella's two-out double to center to cut the deficit to 2-1.
That inning was also the end for Hendricks, who worked six innings. He allowed two runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out nine while throwing 97 pitches, 63 for strikes.
Peralta also worked six innings, giving up one run on nine hits while walking one and striking out five.
Sunday's game was the 19th and final meeting of the season between the teams. Seven of Chicago's final 26 games were with Milwaukee.
NOTES: Milwaukee OF Ryan Braun had the day off after a 3-for-5 performance on Saturday that included a pair of two-run homers as he reached 30 for the season. Since 2007, Braun has 29 homers against the Cubs. He also has 107 RBIs versus Chicago, more than any other active player. ... The Brewers have Monday off before starting their final homestand of the season -- a six-day run that features a three-game series with Pittsburgh. ... Milwaukee sends RHP Matt Garza (5-7, 4.22 ERA) against a Pirates pitcher to be named. ... Chicago resumes its final homestand of the season on Monday with the first of three game against the Cincinnati Reds. The Cubs send RHP Jason Hammel (14-9, 3.60 ERA) against Reds RHP Tim Adleman (2-4, 4.21 ERA). The Cubs complete the week against the St. Louis Cardinals and then hit the road to close the regular season. ... Chicago's division clincher last week came in its 146th game, the fewest the team has needed to win since divisional play began in 1969. It was also the earliest clinching by any Central team since the division was created in 1994.