Cubs get 17 hits in win over Brewers
MILWAUKEE -- Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Albert Almora Jr. all finished with three hits as the Chicago Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 11-6, Saturday evening at Miller Park.
Bryant had snapped an 0-for-14 slump at the plate a day earlier but broke out of his shell Saturday with a pair of doubles and three RBI.
In all, Chicago belted out 17 hits on the day. Starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks (1-0) got into the act as well, notching a pair of singles while striking out six over six innings of work in his first start of the year.
Jonathan Villar, Nick Franklin and Jett Bandy all homered for the Brewers.
Left-hander Tommy Milone, moved into the rotation when Junior Guerra went down with an injury three innings into his Opening Day start, struggled in his first start of the season.
He allowed four runs on nine hits and a walk while striking out two over four innings of work.
The Brewers staked him to an early lead as Jonathan Villar led off with a home run. Eric Thames singled and scored on Travis Shaw's double to make it 2-0 against Hendricks.
Chicago threatened in the second but a double-play bailed out Milone.
He wasn't nearly as fortunate in the third, though, giving up four straight one-out hits, including back-to-back doubles by Schwarber and Bryant to tie the game at 2.
Rizzo's RBI single put Chicago ahead and the Cubs added one more in the fourth on a run-scoring single from Bryant.
A two-run homer from Nick Franklin tied the game at 4 but the Cubs plated a pair in the fifth against Jhan Marinez (0-2) to go back in front.
Wilson Contreras broke the game open with a two-run double in the eighth and Javier Baez drove in two more with a single up the middle, giving the Cubs an 11-4 lead.
Bandy got two runs back in the ninth on his first homer of the season, a two-run shot off Jason Grimm.
NOTES: OF Ryan Braun was scratched from the Brewers' lineup with tightness in his lower back, manager Craig Counsell said before the game. INF/OF Nick Franklin, who joined the team Friday after being claimed off waivers earlier in the week from Tampa Bay, started in left field for Milwaukee. ... Cubs 2B Javier Baez was back in the starting lineup and batting seventh Saturday. ... Milwaukee had won six of its last seven meetings with the Cubs.