Brewers 8, Cubs 6

W: Chris Narveson (1-0)
L: Jeff Samardzija (0-1)
S: Trevor Hoffman (3)

HR: Casey McGehee (3), Ryan Braun (3), Derrek Lee (2), Marlon Byrd (3), Aramis Ramirez (3)

MVP: Ryan Braun (+.322)
LVP: Jeff Suppan (-.174)

Win Expectancy Graph and Star of the Game Voting
SBNation Coverage

It was close throughout, it wasn't exceptionally well managed and it was enfuriating at times, but the Brewers managed to overcome a Jeff Suppan start and avoid the sweep today in Chicago.

If you expected better from Jeff Suppan today, you were probably deluding yourself: He allowed four runs on six hits in five innings, walking just one and striking out four. He allowed two home runs, but threw just 81 pitches and actually left with a 5-4 lead before Chris Narveson allowed a solo home run to Aramis Ramirez to lead off the sixth.

Narveson allowed four baserunners but managed to escape the sixth without further damage. Carlos Villanueva was dominant in the seventh and eighth, allowing just one walk and striking out four.

With a three run lead, Trevor Hoffman recorded his first save in a week, getting a strikeout before Corey Hart lost a ball in the sun that led to a double for Ryan Theriot. Hoffman got Kosuke Fukudome to ground out, then Hart lost another ball in the sun leading to a double for Chad Tracy (his first hit of 2010), scoring Fukudome. Finally, Aramis Ramirez flew out to Jim Edmonds in deep center to end it. 

At the plate, Edmonds (three hits, three runs scored), Ryan Braun (four hits, a walk and a homer) and Gregg Zaun (three hits, including a double) combined for ten of the Brewers' 14 hits. Casey McGehee was also on base three times, going 1-for-2 with a home run, a sac fly and two walks.