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 That dinner will be all the more enjoyable after Maldonado's
three-hit day that included a solo home run and an 11th-inning
walk-off RBI single that gave the Brewers a 3-2 victory over the
Chicago Cubs at Miller Park.
"A walk-off win is pretty special with my mom here," Maldonado said.
"I saw her when I hit the homer. I looked over and she was jumping
around. We have a great dinner later tonight. I think I'll enjoy
that more than the game."
Right-hander Matt Garza put Milwaukee in position to win, allowing
three hits and three walks while striking out nine over a
season-best seven innings of work.
His only mistake resulted in a solo home run by Cubs catcher Miguel
Montero, which broke a scoreless tie in the sixth inning.
But the Brewers responded in the bottom of the seventh in a big way,
with back-to-back home runs to open the inning off Cubs left-hander
Zac Rosscup.
Maldonado was first, sending a 2-1 fastball to left. Rosscup was
even at 1-1 to third baseman Elian Herrera when he missed with a
94-mph fastball that Herrera sent to left-center for his second home
run of the season.
"That is one thing I did not see coming, a couple of homers from the
bottom of the batting order," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "You got
to give them credit."
The Brewers then turned to their bullpen.
Right-hander Jonathan Broxton gave up a one-out single to center
fielder Dexter Fowler then struck out third baseman Kris Bryant.
With lefties Anthony Rizzo and Montero due up, Milwaukee manager
Craig Counsell turned to left-hander Will Smith to get the final out
of the inning, but Rizzo doubled to right, scoring Fowler and tying
the game at 2-2.
Chicago's bullpen kept Milwaukee at bay over the next three innings,
but in the 11th, right-hander Jason Motte gave up a leadoff double
to Braun, then intentionally walked left fielder Adam Lind to bring
up left fielder Khris Davis. Davis, who was 0-for-3 on the day, flew
out to left, just short of the warning track but deep enough for
Braun to advance to third just under the tag.
The Cubs chose to intentionally walk shortstop Jean Segura, loading
the bases with one out and Maldonado, who was batting .164 coming
into the game, due up.
Maddon brought left fielder Chris Coglan in as a fifth infielder.
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"It was kind of distracting," Maldonado said. "But at the same time
you try to do the same thing you normally do. See something up, put
a good swing on it and put it in the air."
And that's exactly what he did with a 1-1 Motte fastball, sending it
over the head of right fielder Jorge Soler and off the wall for the
Brewers' first walk-off of the season.
"I saw him walk out with his mom last night," Counsell said. "There
are going to be some good stories today. He's got one, for sure."
Milwaukee won a series for just the second time this season. Both of
the Brewers series victories have come against the Cubs, who fell to
15-15 on the year.
"I think they are better than the worst team in baseball," Maddon
said. "Just because their record indicates that right now does not
mean they are not good. They pitched extremely well against us. They
are not the worst team in baseball."
NOTES: CF Carlos Gomez was back in the Brewers' lineup and batted
leadoff Sunday after missing three games with a strained right hip
flexor. He went 1-for-5. ... Milwaukee was still without 3B Aramis
Ramirez, who sat out for a third straight game because of tightness
in his lower back. ... The Cubs are 12-2 this season when their
starting pitchers record a quality start and 3-13 in the games they
haven't. ... Chicago 2B Addison Russell carried a 12-game hitting
streak into Sunday's game, but he went 0-for-3 Sunday. During the
streak, Russell batting .326 (14-for-43) with five doubles, two home
runs and six RBIs. Before Sunday, he had at least one hit in 14 of
his 16 games since being brought up from Triple-A Iowa April 21.
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