Ian Happ hits 2-run homer in 8th, Cubs beat Brewers 5-3 originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Ian Happ hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning and the Chicago Cubs beat Milwaukee 5-3 on Saturday, ending the Brewers’ winning streak at five games.
After Joel Payamps (1-4) came on and walked Seiya Suzuki to open the eighth, Happ sent a 1-0 pitch 394 feet to right-center for his 11th home run of the season.
It was the second game-deciding homer in three games for Happ, whose two-run shot in the 10th gave the Cubs a 5-3 victory at San Francisco on Thursday.
“You’re facing back-end arms in those situations,” Happ said. “But trying to have the same process, believe in yourself and get yourself into a lot of positivity going into those situations.”
Payamps also walked the next two hitters after Happ before being lifted.
“You can’t walk people,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “Whatever it is, you can’t walk people. You’re in the major leagues and you’re pitching at that time of the game, walks are not a possibility. If you look at our pitching staff, a lot of our success has come from not giving up free bases. A home run is a home run. Hap’s a good hitter.”
Luke Little (3-1) threw a scoreless seventh for the victory, and Porter Hodge followed with a scoreless inning. Héctor Neris allowed a hit and walk in the ninth, then struck out the final two hitters for his 11th save in 15 opportunities, and 100th career save.
“Hector made pitches when it counted in the end,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “He had to make some pitches, and they had some traffic, and they laid off a couple close pitches, and some checked swings close, not called, but he made pitches.”
Chicago took a 3-2 lead in the fourth when Happ walked, advanced on a single and a double play, and scored on Pete Crow-Armstrong’s single to right.
The Brewers answered in the bottom half when Jackson Chourio doubled to open and came around on a single and RBI fielder’s choice.
The Cubs loaded the bases in the fifth on two singles and a hit batter, but starter Tobias Myers got Christopher Morel on an inning-ending strikeout.
In the seventh, Milwaukee’s Andrew Monasterio was caught off third on Brice Turang’s attempted steal of second, and was out at home in a rundown to end the inning.
Milwaukee erased a 2-0 deficit with two runs in the third, aided by several defensive lapses. Sal Frelick singled to open and stole second. Frelick was caught off…