Luis Urias’ two-out, three-run tiebreaking homer in the seventh inning helped the visiting Milwaukee Brewers to a 7-6 victory over the Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of a split-doubleheader on Monday.
After Chicago’s Daniel Norris (0-3) induced a double-play ball to Andrew McCutchen, Mike Brosseau singled and Kolten Wong walked. Urias, on a full count, just cleared the left-field basket to break a 4-4 tie. Tyrone Taylor tied the game with a two-run homer in the sixth and Jace Peterson also went deep for the Brewers, who lead the NL with 67 home runs.
P.J. Higgins and Rafael Ortega clubbed back-to-back homers in the fourth and Nico Hoerner had three hits with three RBIs for the Cubs, who stranded four combined runners in the eighth and ninth innings to lose for the fourth time in five games. Chicago starter Matt Swarmer allowed four runs — one earned — and five hits while striking out six in his major league debut.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee starter Ethan Small, the 28th overall selection in 2019, yielded two runs, four hits, four walks and fanned four over 2 2/3 innings of his first big-league appearance. According to ESPN, this marked the first time the Brewers were part of a game where both starters made their major league debut. It was the Cubs’ first since 1944.
Swarmer retired the first seven batters before Peterson found the right-center-field bleachers in the third. However, Hoerner’s two-run single in the bottom of the frame gave Chicago a 2-1 lead.
Swarmer was bitten by left fielder Clint Frazier’s misplay of Omar Narvaez’s single in the fourth, which allowed the Milwaukee catcher to reach second. He came home on Keston Hiura’s single.
Homers by Higgins and Ortega (three hits) in the bottom of the fourth gave Chicago a 4-2 edge. However, Urias reached on third baseman Patrick Wisdom’s throwing error in the sixth, and scored on Taylor’s two-out blast.
Following Urias’ homer, Hoerner’s run-scoring single and Ian Happ’s RBI groundout in the seventh got Chicago within a run. But, Milwaukee’s Devin Williams overcame a bases-loaded jam in eighth, and Josh Hader remained scoreless this season for his 17th save.
Miguel Sanchez (1-1) earned the win.
–Field Level Media