LDN - Sports

Peralta, Brewers cruise past Cubs

[September 07, 2016] MILWAUKEE -- For most of the season, the Milwaukee Brewers had been little more than roadkill on the Chicago Cubs' expressway to a National League Central crown.

That changed Tuesday, though, as the Brewers' bats combined for 15 hits including home runs from Jonathan Villar and Ryan Braun while Wily Peralta worked into the eighth inning for the first time this season as Milwaukee snapped a six-game losing streak to the Cubs with a 12-5 victory at Miller Park.

"That was a big offensive night," said Brewers manager Craig Counsell.

Milwaukee had been outscored 30-10 during its losing streak to the cubs but managed to score half that previous total in the first inning, as Jason Hammel struggled to get into a rhythm against a team he's dominated his entire career.

Hammel (14-8) had gone 10-1 with a 2.50 ERA in 14 previous starts against the Brewers but saw his early lead disappear after just two pitches when Villar homered to center.

"Usually if they are going to get him it is going to be early in the game," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "When he gets deeper into the game he usually settles in. I thought he did settle in. Obviously, the three looks bad at the end."

He'd allow three straight singles, a walk, then two more singles before Martin Maldonado made the first out of the inning on a sacrifice fly to center that made it a 5-1 game.

"We haven't had a first inning like that (in a while)," Counsell said. "We kind of got Hammel out of his rhythm to start the game and we took advantage of it."

Miguel Montero added a solo home run with two out in the second, but Peralta (6-9) allowed nothing over the next five innings and Milwaukee added on with a run in the fourth then broke the game open on a three-run blast by Braun in the sixth.

"It's the most dangerous offense in our league," Counsell said. "So certainly at 5-2 or even 6-2, it's not a comfortable lead, necessarily. But he put zeroes up in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth and we were able to get some more runs."

Peralta finally gave way in the eighth, after Rizzo's second home run of the day made it a 9-4 game.

"They're a great team and they've been hot, so thank God I got a big lead early," said Peralta, who scattered six hits and a walk over 7 2/3 innings of work and earned his second victory since returning from a two-month minor league demotion Aug. 9. "The offense was scoring a bunch of runs, especially in the first inning, but you cannot put your head down. You have to go out there and try and execute, because you know what they can do."

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Brewers pitcher Wily Peralta (38) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Hammel lasted only 5 2/3 innings and was charged with nine runs -- eight earned -- on a season-high 13 hits with two walks, five strikeouts, two wild pitches and a hit batter.

"Just too many pitches up in the zone," Hammel said. "I didn't really set the tone for us early. This one is on me. Obviously, it doesn't sit well, but we're fortunate have a very comfortable lead right now. I'll just brush this one off and move on."

Heran Perez went 4-for-4 and capped off Milwaukee's outburst with a two-run double in the eighth, while Villar added three hits and finished a double short of the cycle.

"It feels good because that team is very good," Villar said. "I feel happy because my team never got their heads down...we were focused every day for that one."

NOTES: Milwaukee added three players to its roster Tuesday, recalling C Andrew Susac and RHPs Taylor Jungmann and Damien Magnifico from Triple-A Colorado Springs. Jungmann is the most notable addition; he began the year in the Brewers' rotation but was demoted on April 29 after posting a 9.15 ERA in five starts. His struggles continued in Colorado Springs, to the point he was sent to the team's spring training complex in June to regroup before returning to action with Double-A Biloxi where he went 3-4 with a 2.51 ERA in 13 starts. ... Chicago recalled OF Albert Almora, Jr., INF Munenori Kawasaki, C Tim Federowicz and RHP Spencer Patton from Triple-A Iowa Tuesday. All four are returning to the team after making brief stints earlier in the season. ... The Cubs also reinstated RHP Hector Rondon from the 15-day disabled list Tuesday. He'd been out since Aug. 16 with a strained right triceps.

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