MILWAUKEE (AP) — Chase Anderson pitched seven innings of one-hit ball to take advantage of some rare run support, and the Milwaukee Brewers two-hit the Chicago Cubs 4-0 Tuesday night to take back first place in the NL Central.
Travis Shaw hit a pair of two-run doubles, and Anderson (5-5) locked it down from there to end Milwaukee’s seven-game skid against the Cubs. The Brewers had been shut out in Anderson’s three most recent starts against Chicago.
Anderson threw a Brewers’ season-high 107 pitches. Chicago’s only hit against him was an infield chopper by Willson Contreras in the second. Anderson made effective use of his curveball and changeup and retired his final 17 hitters.
Taylor Williams and Jacob Barnes finished up for Milwaukee with an inning each.
The Brewers took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on Shaw’s shot that evaded diving first baseman Anthony Rizzo and rolled into the right-field corner.
Shaw lined a low pitch into right field for his second two-run double in the third. A heads-up play by Lorenzo Cain allowed the Brewers to escape a rundown and set the table for Shaw’s hit.
Cain’s bouncer up the middle trapped teammate Christian Yelich in a rundown between second and third, but Cain confused the Cubs by running nearly to second base. Yelich returned to second safely and Cain went back to first with no out recorded.
TRAINERS ROOM
Cubs: RHP Yu Darvish threw 30 pitches in a bullpen session Tuesday, and Cubs manager Joe Maddon was encouraged by what he saw. “Outstanding. He threw really well,” Maddon said. “Easy gas. Great location. Good spin on his breaking ball. Very impressed.” Darvish was put on the disabled list May 23 with right triceps tendinitis. Maddon said if there’s a chance for Darvish to return before the All-Star break, “I’m into it. Whatever the doctors think.”
Brewers: RHP Matt Albers was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a right shoulder injury and RHP Jorge Lopez was recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs. Albers allowed five runs and three hits in the 11th inning Monday night and took the loss in Milwaukee’s 7-2 defeat. “He got to the point it was affecting him out there on the field and it’s just time to take a break,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said.
UP NEXT
Cubs: LHP Mike Montgomery (2-1, 3.56 ERA) will make his fourth start since replacing Darvish in the rotation. Montgomery is 2-0 with a 1.02 ERA in his three starts, including a victory over Pittsburgh last week.
Brewers: RHP Jhoulys Chacin has emerged as the team’s ace this season (5-1, 3.58 ERA). The Brewers are 11-3 In his starts and opponents are batting .231 against him.
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