Game Recaps: Cubs 4, Brewers 0; Cubs 4, Brewers 1

GAME 1: WP - Trevor Cahill (2-3); LP - Matt Garza (4-5); Save - Araldis Chapman (25); Homeruns - none

GAME 2: WP - Jason Hammell (13-5); LP - Jhan Marinez (0-1); Save - Aroldis Chapman (26); Homeruns - Mil - Hernan Perez (10), Chi - Javier Baez (13)

This was not a good day at Wrigley for the Brewers. They didn’t score in 17.2 innings, which unsurprisingly resulted in two losses. They collected three hits in game 1 and 5 in game two. They lost two players to injury in game 2 - starting pitcher Chase Anderson was hit in the inside of the left knee/quad by a line drive off the bat of Kris Bryant, and Ryan Braun jammed his left knee (or banged it) when he went into a slide going into the wall down the left field line.

Anderson retired the first two Cubs in the bottom of the first, including the liner by Bryant - he recovered to toss to first but couldn’t continue.

Braun was chasing a drive down the line in the fourth that ended up foul, and started his slide just a bit late. He hit the wall hard, and his leg buckled and smashed into the wall. It could be just a bruise, but we shall see.

Game one saw the Brewers collect only three hits, one each by Jonathan Villar, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, and Manny Pina. The Cubs only had six hits, but put up single runs in the first, third, fourth, and eighth. Tyler Cravy, up as the 26th man for the double header, worked two scoreless innings with one hit allowed, no walks, and two strikeouts.

Damien Magnifico made his big league debut in game one, and gave up an earned run on a walk but no hits.

Game two was equally lethargic for Brewer hitters until the ninth. They had only three hits until then, and two two out hits bumped that to five...but still a loss.

Jhan Marinez, forced into action in the first with Anderson’s injury, ended up working 2.2 innings and giving up a run in the third. He left with the bases loaded in the fourth, and Blaine Boyer induced a 5-3 double play from David Ross to end the inning.

The Cubs had seven hits and two walks in the third through the fifth, but the double play and an out on the bases kept them to one run.

Rob Scahill’s five consecutive scoreless innings came to a screeching halt in the sixth, with a double, an RBI single, and a long two run homer by Javier Baez that stretched the Cub’s lead to 4-0.

The Brewers avoided the double shutout with two down in the ninth on a solo homerun into the basket in left by Hernan Perez, off of Travis Wood. When Chris Carter singled to right center, the Cubs called on Aroldis Chapman to save his second game of the day. Chapman walked pinch hitter Jake Elmore, and Keon Broxton collected an infield single to load the bases. Martin Maldonado fanned on a called strike three to end things, however.

Jason Hammel had as many hits (two) as the Brewers did against him in his seven innings, and as many extra base hits (one) as the Brewers did all day.

Tomorrow the Brewers send Jimmy Nelson (6-12, 4.07) up against Jon Lester (12-3, 2.93). Hey! The Brewers scored in their last inning today...let’s carry over the momentum!