LDN - Sports

Hammel helps Cubs complete doubleheader sweep of Brewers

[August 17, 2016] CHICAGO -- It was a painful Tuesday for the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Brewers not only dropped both ends of a doubleheader to the Chicago Cubs, but starting pitcher Chase Anderson and left fielder Ryan Braun were injured in the second game and were forced to depart.

Cubs right-hander Jason Hammel, meanwhile, worked seven full innings and allowed two hits, struck out seven and walked three for his sixth consecutive win.

"I had good fastball command tonight except for three or four hitters," said Hammel, who tossed his third straight scoreless outing. "The walks are bugging me. Unnecessary stress. If I could clean that up we're going to be in a really good place."

But there were no complaints about where Chicago (75-43) stood after making it 16 wins in their last 19 games following 4-0 and 4-1 victories over Milwaukee.

The struggling Brewers (52-65) dropped their fourth in five games in the nightcap and for a while looked like they'd also lose their top hitter (Braun) and a workhorse pitcher in Anderson, who made his 23 starts.

Reliever Jhan Marinez came in for Anderson, worked 2 2/3 innings and took the loss. He's 0-1.

Anderson suffered a left leg contusion after he was hit by a first-inning Kris Bryant liner while Braun injured his left knee crashing into the wall along the left-field line in the fourth.

"I'm not really in too much pain, just stiff and sore," said Anderson, who hopes to be back for his next scheduled start. "Luckily they got all the muscle it just trying to get the swelling down. It's a little hard to walk."

Braun, who came into the nightcap with a .327 average and 22 home runs, also appeared to suffer no serious damage.

"We think we dodged a bullet there," Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. "The doctor checked everything out. Everything looks good so it's just going to be day-to-day with it right now. He went into that wall pretty hard but it doesn't look like anything structural."

Hammel (13-5), who has not lost since July 1, carefully protected a 1-0 lead until the Cubs exploded for three runs in the sixth.

Willson Contreras singled home Ben Zobrist with the game's second run and Javier Baez clubbed his 13th homer of the season off Brewers reliever Rob Scahill, driving home Contreras for a 4-0 advantage with none out.

"Javy with the big, big hit-- the three-run homer to help us out -- gave me a little breathing room there," Hammel said.

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Brewers third baseman Hernan Perez hit a solo home run with two out in the ninth off Cubs reliever Travis Wood to end the shutout.

Chris Carter followed with a single, leaving it to Aroldis Chapman to try to lock down the decision.

Chapman walked pinch hitter Jake Elmore to put Brewers runners at first and second, and Keon Broxton reached on an infield hit to load the bases for Martin Maldonado.

Chapman struck out Maldonado looking for his sixth save as Cub and second of the day.

Bryant, who reached base three times, had a two-out RBI single to left in the third inning to drive in David Ross from second to open a 1-0 lead.

In Tuesday's opener, right-hander Trevor Cahill tossed five shutout innings and earned a win in his first major league start since April 2015 in a 4-0 victory. Cahill (2-3) came off the disabled list for the spot start, allowing just two hits while striking out three and walking a pair.

Chapman faced two batters in the ninth to earn his fifth Cubs save and 25th of the season. Brewers starter Matt Garza (4-5) also worked five innings and had a three-game winning streak snapped.

NOTES: Tuesday's doubleheader marked Milwaukee's first trip to Chicago since an April 26-28 series, a two-game Cubs' sweep. ... The teams are 3-3 at Miller Park. ... The Brewers placed RHP Michael Blazek (right forearm strain) on the 15-day disabled list, recalled RHP Damien Magnifico from Triple-A Colorado Springs and called up RHP Tyler Cravy from Colorado Springs as 26th man for the twin bill. ... The Brewers send RHP Jimmy Nelson (6-12, 4.07 ERA) against Cubs LHP Jon Lester (12-4, 2.93 ERA) in Wednesday's game. ... Cubs RHP Trevor Cahill's Game 1 start was his first since April 26, 2015, with the Atlanta Braves against the Philadelphia Phillies, a 5-4 setback. He was the eighth starting pitcher used by Chicago this season. ... The Cubs' 10-0 start to August was only the second time they've started a month in that fashion since June 1885 when Chicago opened June 18-0 and finished 21-2. ... Entering Tuesday, Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo had 16 game-winning RBIs, tied with Washington's Daniel Murphy for most in the majors.

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