Ian Happ’s – Ian Happ hit a three-run homer as Chicago defeated Milwaukee 8-2 on Saturday night, using a four-run sixth to pull away. David Peterson rebounded after allowing Jackson Chourio’s leadoff first-pitch home run, and Seiya Suzuki and Michael Conforto also went dee
MILWAUKEE — The evening didn’t start the way David Peterson, newly acquired from the Mets to shore up Chicago’s injury-riddled rotation, would’ve wanted. On his very first pitch as a Cub, Peterson allowed Jackson Chourio’s 11th home run.
Then Peterson settled.
Ian Happ responded by clearing the bases with a three-run homer, and Chicago rode a four-run sixth to an 8-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday night. Happ finished with his 17th homer, capping the surge that turned a game that had shifted back and forth into a decisive Cubs lead.
The turning point came in the sixth inning. Chad Patrick relieved to start the frame and retired the first two hitters before issuing a pair of walks. Nico Hoerner followed with an RBI single to put Chicago up 3-2. One pitch later, Happ sent the first pitch he saw 381 feet to right for his first homer since June 13. That swing stretched the Cubs’ advantage to 6-2.
Peterson, listed at 4-6, went 5 2/3 innings and allowed two runs on five hits after that early mistake. He surrendered Chourio’s first-pitch home run, but after that he tightened up enough to keep Milwaukee from stringing together rallies.
Chicago’s power kept coming. Seiya Suzuki and Michael Conforto both homered for the Cubs. Alex Bregman added a sacrifice fly in the seventh to make it 7-2, and Conforto capped the scoring with a pinch-hit homer in the ninth.
Milwaukee tried to counter. The Brewers tied the game 2-all in the fifth when Blake Perkins doubled to open the inning and Sal Frelick followed with an RBI single. Earlier. the Cubs struck first after Kyle Harrison retired the first 10 hitters he faced; Matt Shaw singled up the middle with one out in the fourth. and Suzuki followed with his 12th homer to put Chicago ahead 2-1.
The Cubs entered Saturday with the broader context of a bruising matchup. Milwaukee had won the first four meetings between the teams this season, and the result left Chicago 6 1/2 games behind the NL Central-leading Brewers.
For Peterson, the win was the kind of rebound that matters in a rotation built on next-man-up circumstances. Chicago acquired Peterson on Thursday in exchange for minor-league infielder Cole Mathis, after starters Edward Cabrera and Ben Brown joined three other starters on the injured list.
Sunday’s plans are already set for Milwaukee: Brandon Woodruff (2-1, 3.00 ERA) starts for the Brewers, while the Cubs have yet to name a starter.
Ian Happ David Peterson Chicago Cubs Milwaukee Brewers NL Central three-run homer 8-2 win Jackson Chourio Seiya Suzuki Michael Conforto
3-run homer fixes everything I guess. Cubs back in business.
Peterson giving up a leadoff shot on the first pitch as a Cub is wild. But then he “settled” so I’m assuming that means it was totally fine after that? Happ is clutch though, 8-2 feels like one of those games that snowballs fast.
I don’t even get why they said Milwaukee tied it 2-all if the Cubs were already up… like did I miss something? Also Ian Happ hitting at 381 feet sounds fake, like my dog could throw that far. Either way, Brewers should’ve just kept hitting better in the 6th.
Chad Patrick starting the 6th and then walks happening… that’s always the beginning of the end. Then Hoerner RBI single, and bam Happ first homer since June 13 (which is also weirdly long) and now it’s 6-2. Feels like Milwaukee always starts strong then collapses, and I’m not saying that’s on Peterson but the first pitch thing made it look doomed.