Brewers spank Cubs again to complete four-game sweep

[August 13, 2021]   The Milwaukee Brewers had four innings in which they scored three runs or more as they swept a four-game series by beating the host Chicago Cubs 17-4 on Thursday afternoon.

Milwaukee Brewers catcher Manny Pina (9) celebrates with teammates after hitting a grand slam home run against the Chicago Cubs during the fifth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Luis Urias, Jace Peterson and Manny Pina combined for 15 RBIs, 11 runs and 13 of the Brewers' 22 hits.

The Brewers outscored the Cubs 37-9 in the series.

The slumping Cubs have now not only lost eight straight games, but they have dropped their past 10 games at Wrigley Field for the first time since setting a franchise record with 12 consecutive home losses in 1994.

Before Thursday, Chicago had not gone winless on a homestand of at least seven games since 1943.

The Brewers took it to Kyle Hendricks (13-5) in the second, scoring five runs as they started the inning with five straight hits. Eduardo Escobar led off with a triple, scoring on a double from Urias to make it 1-0. Peterson then made it 3-0 with a home run.

Hendricks' first out of the inning came on a sacrifice bunt from pitcher Brandon Woodruff, which put runners in scoring position. Willy Adames' single with the bases loaded brought in two more.

Chicago got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Woodruff walked Rafael Ortega with the bases loaded. It was only the second bases-loaded walk of Woodruff's career.

Woodruff was pulled after three innings and did not factor into the decision. He threw 74 pitches and only allowed two hits but walked three.

In the fifth, Pina (6 RBIs) hit a grand slam to left with no outs to chase Hendricks. He went four-plus, giving up nine runs on 11 hits.

The Brewers tacked on four more in the sixth with Peterson (5-for-5, 4 RBIs, 3 runs) driving in two runs on a single and Pina driving in the other two with his second home run of the afternoon.

Urias (5-for-6, 5 RBIs, 5 runs) hit a three-run homer in the seventh to give the Brewers a 15-run lead.

Chicago scored twice in the seventh on back-to-back homers from Frank Schwindel and Patrick Wisdom.

Before Thursday's game, the Cubs put veteran pitcher Jake Arrieta on unconditional waivers.

Arrieta was 5-11 with a 6.88 ERA this season in his return to the Cubs this year after going 68-31 with Chicago from 2013-17 and being part of the 2016 World Series team. Arrieta won the 2015 National League Cy Young Award.

--Field Level Media

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