Cubs complete four-game sweep over moribund Brewers, 2-0

WP: Tyler Chatwood (2-3); LP: Zach Davies (2-3); Save: Brandon Morrow (7); Home runs: none

I’m not sure why you’d want a Box Score, but...

Tyler Chatwood out-dueled Zach Davies (have you heard that in in this series before?) as the Chicago Cubs (15-10) completed a pitching-dominant sweep over the Milwaukee Brewers (16-13). The Brewers completed thirty six innings of batting with one earned run (two total) in being shut out three times in the four losses after today’s 2-0 loss. Milwaukee finished the series with fourteen hits in four games. Oh, my.

Milwaukee had a chance in the top of the first when Lorenzo Cain led off with a walk and stole second after a flyball out by Christian Yelich. Ryan Braun’s grounder down the thirdbase line was stopped on a dive by Kris Bryant, keeping Cain at second but with Braun beating the throw to first for an infield single. Travis Shaw grounded into a 3-6-1 double play, and the threat was over.

No runners advanced past first base against Chatwood after that. A one out walk in the second and two out single in the third were followed by eleven Brewers going down in a row into the seventh before Jesus Aguilar drew a one out walk. Jonathan Villar bounced into an easy 6-4-3 double play to squelch that somewhat minor uprising. That ended Chatwood’s very successful day, as he went seven shutout innings with two singles allowed, three walks, and four k’s.

Carl Edwards took over for Chatwood in the eighth, and walked Orlando Arcia and a pinch-hitting Domingo Santana to start the frame...except that Santana was called out on a pitch several inches inside. Arcia swiped second before an Eric Sogard pop to third, but Lorenzo Cain struck out swinging to end the inning.

Chicago closer Brandon Morrow breezed through the ninth with little resistance for his seventh save.

The Cubs’ first run came in the bottom of the fifth. Addison Russell led off the inning with an opposite field triple down the right field line. Davies struck out Jason Heyward, but with a path to get out of the inning gave up a single to Chatwood on a hanging curve to score Russell. One-zip Cubs.

Chicago added on in the bottom of the sixth after Davies plunked Anthony Rizzo in the posterior region with one out, and then allowed a double to Willson Contreras, with Rizzo almost thrown out at third. Kyle Schwarber was intentionally walked to load the bases and set up a double play. Russell foiled the strategy with a line drive sacrifice fly to center, putting the Cubs up 2-0 and ending Davies day. Zach finished with 5.2 innings, 5 hits, 2 earned runs, a walk, and two strikeouts. Dan Jennings retired Heyward on a fly to right to end the frame.

Jennings, Matt Albers, and Taylor Williams combined to retire all seven hitters they faced, but with the total ineptitude of the Brewers’ offense, it was just another fart in the wind.

Jhoulys Chacin (2-1, 3.99) looks to stop the Brewers’ four-game skid Monday when Milwaukee heads to Cincinnati for three with the Reds (7-21). Brandon Finnegan (0-2. 8.03) is on the mound for Cincy as the Brewers try and snap out of the dreadful team batting slump that was the series in Chicago.