Darvish shines as Cubs top Brewers
Yu Darvish produced arguably his best start of the season. (Photo Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports)

Darvish shines as Cubs top Brewers


by - Senior Writer -

CHICAGO — Sparked by a solid six-inning, three-hit effort from starting pitcher Yu Darvish, the Chicago Cubs (13-10) topped the Milwaukee Brewers (16-11) for the second straight game at Wrigley Field. Outhitting the Brewers 7-4, the Cubs won by a final tally of 3-2, using a late Milwaukee error to, ultimately, win the contest.

Making up for lost time after yesterday's 1-0 snoozefest, the Brewers and Cubs both put runs on the board in the opening inning. In the top half of the first, Milwaukee's Jesus Aguilar brought in Lorenzo Cain from third on a sacrifice fly. Cain originally got on base because of a rare mistake made by Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward, who misplayed a ball hit by Cain, thereby enabling him to reach second.

The Cubs were quick to respond, with leadoff man Albert Almora, Jr., hitting a double off Brewers starting pitcher Brent Suter in the bottom of the first. Almora then scored on an RBI single from Javier Baez, who then stole second base and proceeded to score on an RBI single from Anthony Rizzo.

From there, Darvish and Suter settled into a groove, with both teams advancing a runner into scoring position just once between the end of the first inning and the bottom of the fifth inning. Darvish was stellar, consistently throwing filth, including this 64-mile-per-hour curveball that sat down Brewers catcher Manny Pina.

Darvish, who finished with eight strikeouts to his name, produced the most memorable moment of the game on the basepaths, however, turning a highlight into a blooper when falling while rounding second base. Showing his inexperience at running the bases, Darvish fell on his first double since 2014 (and just the third extra-base hit of his career). Unfortunately for him, the Cubs were outed in three straight at-bats after that, leaving Darvish stranded at second base.

Cubs skipper Joe Maddon opted to pull Darvish after the sixth inning, a decision that proved temporarily costly for Chicago. The Brewers added a run in the seventh, with outfielder Christian Yelich converting a bases-loaded situation into a score on a sacrifice fly that brought home Eric Sogard. Sogard quickly became the goat of the game, though, committing an error on a play at shortstop in the bottom of the seventh that could have potentially ended the inning.

Chicago shortstop Addison Russell led of the seventh with a single, and the Cubs eventually boasted a bases-loaded, two-outs scenario, which is when Sogard misplayed a ball hit by Baez, enabling all runners to advance safely. Russell's run on the play provided the Cubs with a 3-2 lead that they held on to for the win.

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