Cubs rout Brewers, Milwaukee shut out for 2nd straight game
Ian Happ of the Chicago Cubs scores a run against the Milwaukee Brewers. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE - Michael Busch hit his first career grand slam and Pete Crow-Armstrong added two solo shots as the Chicago Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers 10-0 on Friday.
Big picture view:
This marked the first matchup of the season between the NL Central-leading Cubs and the Brewers, who won this division each of the last two seasons.
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The Brewers were shut out again two nights after closing a 10-game trip with an 8-0 loss to the Chicago White Sox. The last time the Brewers were shut out in back-to-back games was in May 2023.
By the numbers:
Chicago took the lead for good by scoring two runs in the first inning off Tyler Alexander (1-3), who served as the Brewers’ opener before giving way to Quinn Priester. The Cubs scored seven runs against Priester in the second to break the game open.
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Busch sent an 0-2 curve over the wall in left-center field for his sixth homer of the season, giving Chicago an 8-0 advantage. Two batters later, Crow-Armstrong delivered a 418-foot blast to center on a 1-2 changeup.
Crow-Amstrong went deep again in the seventh inning, hitting a 399-foot shot to right on a 2-1 slider from Joel Payamps for his eighth homer of the season.
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Cubs starter Ben Brown (3-2) struck out four in six innings while allowing four hits and no walks. Chris Flexen worked the final three innings for his third career save, and first since 2022.
Dig deeper:
After allowing a leadoff single to Dansby Swanson in the second, Priester walked Nicky Lopez on a 3-2 sinker and then walked Ian Happ on four pitches to load the bases with nobody out. Those two walks set the stage for the Cubs’ seven-run outburst.
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Crow-Armstrong's two homers from the No. 7 spot in the lineup continued the Cubs’ run of success from the bottom third of their lineup. The Cubs have 18 homers this season from players batting seventh, eighth or ninth. They entered Friday leading the majors in that category.
What's next:
Cubs RHP Jameson Taillon (1-1, 4.01 ERA) goes against Brewers LHP José Quintana (4-0, 1.14) on Saturday.
The Source: The Associated Press provided this report.