Rizzo's homer in 11th sparks Cubs past Brewers

[June 12, 2018]  Anthony Rizzo started a five-run top of the 11th inning by homering on the first pitch, lifting the Chicago Cubs to a 7-2 victory over the host Milwaukee Brewers Monday night at Miller Park.

Rizzo gave Chicago its seventh consecutive win over the Brewers when he lifted an 88 mph four-seam fastball from Matt Albers (3-2) soaring into the second deck in right field.

His 11th homer gave Rizzo an RBI for an eighth game in a row.

Chicago won for the 13th time in 17 games despite Rizzo earlier encountering some tough luck.

In the fourth, Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun made a tumbling catch on Rizzo's sinking liner, preventing a single in a one-run game. Two innings later, Rizzo drove a 3-0 fastball from Josh Hader into the upper deck in right field, but it sliced just foul, preventing the Cubs from taking a 4-2 lead.

Rizzo's near-miss against Hader occurred after Jason Heyward dropped a single to right field to score Ben Zobrist. Zobrist was in scoring position after advancing to second on a flyout and staying there when second baseman Jonathan Villar dropped the relay throw from center fielder Lorenzo Cain.

Hader allowed a run for the first time in 10 appearances since May 5 and allowed his third hit to a left-hander. The Brewers also dropped to 21-1 when Hader appears in a game. The lefty gave up a run on one hit and two walks with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings.

Zobrist followed Rizzo's homer with an RBI single after Javier Baez drew a two-out walk, stole his second base of the game and advanced to third on an error. Albert Almora Jr. then added his second RBI single of the game for a 5-2 margin, and Heyward roped a two-run double to left-center field.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo (44) hits a solo home run in the eleventh inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Almora and Heyward had three hits apiece for the Cubs, who were 5-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

Four Chicago relievers combined on five scoreless innings after Jose Quintana allowed two runs on four hits in six innings. Randy Rosario (3-0) pitched two perfect innings, and Anthony Bass ended the nearly four-hour game with a scoreless bottom of the 11th.

Before Milwaukee's meltdown, Erik Kratz and Villar hit solo homers in the third and fifth innings, respectively, off Quintana. Braun also made a leaping catch to rob Willson Contreras of a homer in the sixth.

Almora hit an RBI single in the fifth off Milwaukee starter Junior Guerra, who held Chicago to one run on five hits in six innings.

--Field Level Media

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