Greinke strikes out 12, Brewers beat Cubs 8-0

[June 07, 2012]  MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Zack Greinke had a season-high 12 strikeouts and the Milwaukee Brewers rediscovered their offense, beating the Chicago Cubs 8-0 on Wednesday night.

Greinke (7-2) extended his home winning streak to 15 straight decisions at Miller Park.

Greinke gave up two hits in seven innings, with two walks and a wild pitch.

Brooks Conrad -- who came into Wednesday's game batting .059 this season -- had a two-run single for the Brewers, while Ryan Braun and Cody Ransom each had RBI doubles. Norichika Aoki had a walk and three hits after being moved to the leadoff spot and Taylor Green hit a three-run homer, the first of his career.

The Brewers were pounded 10-0 by the Cubs in the first game of the series, ending the Cubs' 11-game road losing streak.

Cubs starter Paul Maholm (4-5) gave up four runs and six hits in four innings. Alfonso Soriano and Starlin Castro each doubled on a quiet offensive night for the Cubs.

Greinke got off to a somewhat shaky start, including an awkward-looking, 53-mph curveball early on.

Soriano led off the second with a shot down the third-base line, which Conrad unsuccessfully tried to barehand. Soriano went to second on the play, which was ruled a double.

Soriano advanced to third on a groundout, and Greinke got another groundout. But he walked the next two hitters to load the bases, then struck out Maholm to get out of the inning -- despite appearing to lose his grip on one of his pitches to Maholm, the pitch registering 53 mph on the stadium speed gun.

After being shut out Tuesday and managing only one hit in the first three innings Wednesday, the Brewers finally got back on the scoreboard in the fourth.

Aoki led off with a double, advanced to third on a flyout by Carlos Gomez and scored on a double by Braun. Corey Hart then reached base on an infield hit when third baseman Ian Stewart bobbled a ball coming out of his glove, giving the Brewers runners on first and second with one out.

Rickie Weeks flew out, but Ransom doubled to score Braun -- then Conrad delivered a broken-bat single to score two more, giving the Brewers a 4-0 lead.

Milwaukee added another run in the fifth when Aoki doubled and took third on an error by right fielder David DeJesus. Aoki and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Corey Hart for a 5-0 lead.

Green added a three-run homer in the eighth.

NOTES: The Cubs placed RHP Blake Parker on the 60-day disabled list with a right elbow stress reaction and called up RHP Manuel Corpas. ... Both teams drafted their respective managers' sons Wednesday. The Brewers took Lance Roenicke, an outfielder from UC Santa Barbara, in the 25th round. The Cubs took Rustin Sveum, an infielder at Desert Mountain High School in Arizona, in the 39th. ... RHP Matt Garza (2-4, 4.0) faces LHP Randy Wolf (2-5, 6.05) Thursday.

[Associated Press; By CHRIS JENKINS]

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