Cubs Break Away From Brewers, 7-2
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- With a short turnaround after an extra-inning game, the Chicago Cubs needed major league ERA leader Kyle Hendricks to provide a strong start Monday afternoon.
Hendricks delivered six strong innings and the Cubs broke away late to beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 7-2.
"After like really awkward games, he has really picked us up," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "That's just who he is. He normally gets you deeply into the game."
"That's who he is, man. You pretty much have an idea what you're going to get when he goes out there," he said.
Pinch hitter Chris Coghlan came through with a go-ahead single in a two-run seventh. He stayed in the game and got a two-run single in a four-run eighth for the NL Central leaders.
Hendricks (14-7) gave up one run -- on Chris Carter's 33rd homer -- and five hits in six innings, and left with a 2.07 ERA. He is 5-0 with a 1.30 ERA over his last seven starts.
The right-hander has allowed three or fewer earned runs in each of his last 19 starts, which is the longest streak by any pitcher in the majors this season.
"After that at-bat (Carter home run), I did a much better job kind of pitching inside, just to give myself some more room glove-side," Hendricks said.
It was 1-all in the seventh when Zach Davies (10-7) retired the first two batters. Montero then doubled and scored on the single by Coghlan, who took second on the throw.
Tommy La Stella followed with an infield single that second baseman Scooter Gennett misplayed into the outfield, allowing Coghlan to score.
"If we don't do it right out of the gate, then our belief is always that we'll do it before it's over," Coghlan said. "I don't think we ever lose that. And that's why we're so confident. And that's why it's tough to shut us out and to keep us down."
Davies allowed two earned runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings.
Chicago tied the game in the sixth on a two-out, broken-bat single by Jorge Soler.
"Every run they scored, even the base hits he gave up, that was soft contact," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "Some jam shots. If anything, they get rewarded for contact today. It wasn't hard contact, it was just contact and they got rewarded for that. He pitched great."
Jason Heyward and Javier Baez drove in runs in the eighth off Ben Rowen before Coghlan capped the inning with his hit against Rob Scahill.
Ryan Braun hit his 25th homer in the Milwaukee ninth.
STREAK OVER
Kris Bryant went 0 for 5, ending his streak of consecutive games reaching base at a career-best 21. It was the second-longest run by a Cubs player this season. Anthony Rizzo reached in 26 straight games over parts of April and May.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cubs: RHP Hector Rondon is expected to be activated from the disabled list Tuesday, according to Maddon. Rondon has been out since Aug. 17 with a right triceps strain.
Brewers: SS Jonathan Villar returned to the lineup Sunday after not starting Milwaukee's past two games with a sore left knee.
UP NEXT
Cubs: RHP Jason Hammel (14-7, 3.14 ERA) will start the second game of the series in Milwaukee. He is 10-1 with a 2.50 ERA in 14 career starts against the Brewers.
Brewers: RHP Wily Peralta (5-9, 5.53) will make his 19th start of the season Tuesday. He is coming off his best outing of the year in which he allowed one run and struck out 10 on Aug. 30 against St. Louis.
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