Brewers 3, Cubs 2
MILWAUKEE -- Catcher Martin Maldonado's bases-loaded single in the bottom of the 11th inning gave the Milwaukee Brewers a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs Sunday afternoon at Miller Park.
Facing Cubs right-hander Jason Motte, right fielder Ryan Braun opened the inning with a base hit -- his second of the game -- and Motte followed by walking first baseman Adam Lind to get to left fielder Khris Davis, who was 0-for-3 on the day.
Davis flew out to left-center, but just deep enough for Braun to advance to third, and Motte (1-1) issued another free pass, this time to shortstop Jean Segura, loading the bases for Maldonado.
The Brewers squandered a golden opportunity in the second inning, loading the bases with two outs, but center fielder Carlos Gomez, back in the lineup after sitting three games because of a strained right hip flexor, swung at Kyle Hendricks' first pitch and popped out to shortstop, ending the threat.
Cubs catcher Miguel Montero broke the deadlock with a solo home run in the sixth.
Milwaukee challenged again in the bottom of the inning, putting runners at first and second with one out against right-hander Justin Grimm.
But again, the Brewers failed to cash in when Segura bounced into a double play to get Grimm and the Cubs out unscathed.
Milwaukee finally got on the board in the seventh, with back-to-back home runs by Maldonado and third baseman Elian Herrera, but first baseman Anthony Rizzo's RBI double in the eighth made it a 2-2 game.
Both starters were effective, but didn't factor into the decision. Hendricks gave the Cubs 5 1/3 scoreless innings and allowed five hits and two walks while striking out three.
Brewers right-hander Matt Garza stuck out nine and walked three while scattering three hits over seven innings, his longest start of the season.
NOTES: CF Carlos Gomez was back in the Brewers' lineup and batting leadoff Sunday after missing three games with a strained right hip flexor. ... Milwaukee was still without 3B Aramis Ramirez, who sat out for a third straight game because of tightness in his lower back. ... The Cubs are 12-2 this season when their starting pitchers record a quality start and 3-13 in the games they haven't. ... Chicago 2B Addison Russell carried a 12-game hitting streak into Sunday's game, but he went 0-for-3 Sunday. During the streak, Russell batting .326 (14-for-43) with five doubles, two home runs and six RBIs. Before Sunday, he had at least one hit in 14 of his 16 games since being brought up from Triple-A Iowa April 21. ... By winning Sunday's game, Milwaukee recorded its second series victory of the season. The Brewers took two of three from the Cubs last weekend in Chicago then split a four-game series with the Dodgers. Prior to that, they were 0-7 in series play this season.