|
 Rizzo, the Cubs' first baseman, went 3-for-4 and also reached on
a walk to cap off a 6-for-11 series.
"There's always optimism and now you can see it around everywhere,"
said Rizzo, who finished the season 15-for-38 at the plate following
an 18-game absence due to a lower back strain. "We each got to keep
the course, though. And keep developing as individuals and
developing as a team."
Rizzo put the Cubs on the board with a two-run home run off Brewers
right-hander Mike Fiers in the first, then scored the go-ahead run
in the sixth inning when he came home on center fielder Arismendy
Alcantara's two-run double that broke a 2-2 tie.
All that was enough to make things easy for right-hander Jacob
Turner, who drew the finale start and held Milwaukee to two runs on
four hits and three walks over five innings of work.
"It's definitely a good way to finish," Turner said. "A good team
win today. The offense got me the early lead, I think which was
crucial. When I have up that second run they came right back and
scored some more runs. So, it was a good team win."
For the Brewers, who face an uncertain offseason after a disastrous
final month, it was more of the same: good starting pitching but
punchless offense.
Fiers (6-5) gave up two home runs, but struck out seven through six
innings. However, the Milwaukee offense couldn't get going against
Turner (6-11), and left runners in scoring position in the second,
fifth and seventh innings.
"I thought Jacob looked pretty good today," Cubs manager Rick
Renteria said. "He had really good action. He was sinking the ball
pretty well. Velocities were good. He gave us a chance and the guys
just -- they chipped away. We scored enough obviously to do what we
needed to do. Nice finish by all these guys. I thought they kept
playing."
The lone bright spot for the Brewers in the finale was a two-hit day
for Jonathan Lucroy, starting at first base Sunday. He singled in
his final two at-bats to finish with a .300 batting average for the
season.
"I wasn't going to keep him in there, but he wanted to keep going,"
Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. "After he got the first one, he
had to try to get the second one. That was nice to see. He had a
great year. Behind the plate, he's really developing into a guy that
does everything well. The offensive part, he's really good and he's
going to continue to be really good."
[to top of second column] |
With Lucroy manning first base Sunday, Martin Maldonado got the
start behind the plate and drove in Milwaukee's first run, reaching
on an error in the second that scored shortstop Jean Segura. Second
baseman Elian Herrera tied the game at 2-2 with an RBI double in the
fifth.
The Cubs added an insurance run in the ninth when second baseman
Chris Valaika singled and scored when left fielder Chris Coghlan
reached on a fielder's choice.
Right-hander Hector Rondon retired the Brewers in order in the ninth
for his 29th save of the season.
NOTES: Milwaukee finished the season with a winning record (82-80)
for the third time in four years under manager Ron Roenicke. ... The
Cubs' pitching staff began the day with 1,307 strikeouts, the
second-highest total in the National League this season. Cubs
batters began the day with 1,465 strikeouts, the most in all of
baseball in 2014. Brewers pitchers struck out 12 Cubs on Sunday,
giving the Brewers pitchers a total of 1,319 strikeouts, and
increasing the number of strikeouts by Cubs hitters to 1,477. ...
Brewers RHP Brandon Kintzler will undergo surgery Tuesday on his
left patella tendon. He said the issue has been bothering him for
nearly two years. ... Chicago finished in last place for the second
straight season and has recorded five straight losing seasons, the
longest stretch of sub-.500 baseball for the franchise since
1978-83.
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