Brewers 3, Cubs 2: Brewers steal win again

Win: Burke Badenhop (2-3)
Loss: Kevin Gregg (2-3)
Save: Jim Henderson (14)

HR: Juan Francisco (14)

MVP: Jeff Bianchi (.426)
LVP: Burke Badenhop (-.371)

Fangraphs Win Expectancy Graph
Boxscore

After having the bullpen relinquish a lead for the second time today, the Brewers were once again able to make a comeback and steal a victory from the Cubs.

The Brewers put the first run on the board this evening on a leadoff home run to right field by Juan Francisco. Francisco used his strength to push a high fastball on the outer half of the plate over the left field wall.

Other than the home run to Francisco, Jake Arrieta performed relatively well in his debut with the Cubs. Arrieta pitched six innings and only allowed the one run on two hits and three walks. For the most part, the Brewers were unable to figure out Arrieta this evening.

Tyler Thornburg did a great job working around some struggles to put up six scoreless innings for the Brewers this evening. Thornburg wasn't spectacular, but he was able to work around four hits and three walks to keep the Cubs off the scoreboard. Thornburg struck out six batters, including a strikeout of Junior Lake who looked at a curveball on the outer corner of the plate to end the fifth inning with two runners on base.

After removing Tyler Thornburg and bringing in Burke Badenhop to start the seventh inning, the Brewers simply forgot how to play defense. Francisco started off the miscues by failing to squeeze a throw at first base from Yuniesky Betancourt to put Cody Ransom on first. Jeff Bianchi followed Francisco's error by bobbling a groundball hit right at him at shortstop.

Finally, Jonathan Lucroy allowed a passed ball that moved both Ransom and Cole Gillespie up to second and third. David DeJesus hit a double over the head of Logan Schafer in right field that scored both runners and gave the Cubs their first lead of the game.

In the eighth inning, the Brewers were able to put runners on first and third, but couldn't score when Khris Davis just missed a fastball and flew out to left field for the third out of the inning.

It looked as though the night would end for the Brewers in the top of the ninth with two outs and only pinch-runner Norichika Aoki on first base, but pinch-hitter Jean Segura barely ran out a chopper to third baseman Cody Ransom to keep the inning alive. Following a Schafer walk to load the bases, Jeff Bianchi was able to sneak a looping liner past Starlin Castro that scored both Aoki and Segura to give the Brewers a 3-2 lead.

Jim Henderson took the mound for the second time Tuesday and left the mound in the same manner as he did this afternoon. After allowing a single to DeJesus, Henderson struck out Lake to pick up his 14th save of the season.

The Brewers will be back in action tomorrow as they look to sweep the Cubs in their four game series. Wily Peralta struggled mightily in his last start against the Rockies, but he'll look to regain the success he experienced during the majority of the month of July against the Cubs and Edwin Jackson. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.