Victor Caratini’s eighth inning home run difference in Brewers 6-5 win over Cubs

Box Score

For the fourth time in this series, the game between the Brewers and Cubs was decided with an eighth-inning or later lead change. This time, it went in the Brewers favor, thanks to Victor Caratini.

The Cubs struck first today with back-to-back doubles to start the second, scoring a run to put the Cubs ahead 1-0. After that, both offenses were kept in check until the fifth inning. Raimel Tapia singled and Victor Caratini walked to put two runners on base. Joey Wiemer brought in Tapia with a single, and then Christian Yelich gave the Brewers a lead with a three-run home run to left field. That put the Brewers up 4-1.

Freddy Peralta had a good game for most of the day, but he fell apart in the sixth inning. He entered the sixth allowing just one run, but allowed a walk before a Cody Bellinger home run that closed the gap to 4-3. That ended Freddy’s day with three runs allowed in 5 ¹⁄₃ innings, with 10 strikeouts for the day. Bryse Wilson finished the sixth and worked around an error to prevent the Cubs from scoring again.

The Brewers got a run back in the seventh. Yelich led off the inning with a walk, then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. That set up Willy Adames to bring him in with a sacrifice fly, and the Brewers had an insurance run for a 5-3 lead.

Elvis Peguero had a clean seventh to keep the Cubs off the board, and J.C. Mejia came in for the eighth. A double play eliminated a leadoff single, but a two-out single from Bellinger set up Yan Gomes to homer, tying the game at 5-5.

That lead didn’t last long though. The second batter in the bottom of the eighth, Victor Caratini, gave the Brewers the lead again. A home run to right field gave the Brewers a 6-5 lead.

Joel Payamps got the save chance in the top of the ninth. He allowed a single to Trey Mancini, but nothing else as the Brewers won the game and split the series.

The Brewers get a chance to go into the All-Star Break with the division lead as the first-place Reds come to Milwaukee. Andrew Abbott and Corbin Burnes face off in game one of the series Friday night. First pitch is at 7:10 p.m.