Cubs 7, Brewers 6
MILWAUKEE -- Dexter Fowler went 2-for-4 with a double and a home run as the Chicago Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 7-6, Friday night in front of a largely partisan crowd at Miller Park.
Chicago also got home runs from first baseman Anthony Rizzo, right fielder Jorge Soler and shortstop Starlin Castro while right-hander Jason Hammel (3-1) went seven innings and struck out eight.
The first three home runs came at the expense of Brewers right-hander Jimmy Nelson (1-3), who went seven innings and scattered five hits and a walk while setting a career high with nine strikeouts.
Fowler came into the game slumping and had just two hits in his previous 23 at-bats but he needed just two pitches to snap out of that funk and launched a 1-0 fastball from Nelson to right center for his second homer of the season.
Milwaukee got the run back in the bottom of the inning on left fielder Khris Davis’ RBI single but first baseman Adam Lind was thrown out easily at home to end the inning.
Rizzo led off the fourth with his sixth homer of the season to break the tie and, after Nelson gave up a double to catcher Miguel Montero, Soler worked the count to 3-1 before homering to straight-away center, giving the Cubs a 4-1 lead.
The Brewers cut the deficit to 4-2 in the sixth on Davis’ second home run of the year but the Cubs pulled ahead by three when Fowler led off the eighth with a double, stole third then scored on Rizzo’s base hit to right.
Milwaukee had a chance to at least tie the game in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases with two out. But right-hander Pedro Strop struck out catcher Martin Maldonado and Castro led off the ninth with his third home run of the season.
An overturned call at first led to another Cubs run, which came in handy as right-hander Hector Rondon gave up a three-run home run to right-hander Ryan Braun.
Back-to-back singles put the winning run at first but Rondon struck out center fielder Gerardo Parra to end it.
Fowler came into the game slumping and had just two hits in his previous 23 at-bats, but he needed just two pitches to snap out of that funk. He launched a 1-0 fastball from Nelson to right-center for his second homer of the season.
Milwaukee got the run back in the bottom of the inning on Davis' RBI single, but Lind was thrown out easily at home to end the inning.
Rizzo led off the fourth with his sixth homer of the season to break the tie. After Nelson gave up a double to Montero, Soler worked the count to 3-1 before homering to straight-away center, giving the Cubs a 4-1 lead.
NOTES: Milwaukee recalled RHP Brandon Kintzler from Triple-A Colorado Springs Friday. Kintzler replaces RHP Rob Wooten, who was optioned to Colorado Springs Thursday night. ... Brewers CF Carlos Gomez was not in the lineup for the second straight game. Manager Craig Counsell said Gomez had a very mild hip flexor in his left leg but took part in all pregame drills and is expected to be OK to play this weekend. ... CF Dexter Fowler returned to the Cubs lineup Friday after serving as a pinch-hitter Thursday in St. Louis. Fowler came into the game mired in a 2-for-23 slump. ... Chicago MGR Joe Maddon kept 3B Kris Bryant in the No. 2 spot for the second straight game. Bryant is batting .308 on the Cubs' current road trip. ... Brewers 1B Adam Lind has six home runs in 96 at-bats this season. He had six all of last season, in 290 at-bats.