Yelich three-run homer lifts Brewers past Cubs, 4-3

CHICAGO Christian Yelich hit a three-run homer and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the major league-leading Chicago Cubs 4-3 on Friday night.

Yelich hit his fifth homer of the season off Alec Mills to right-center field, erasing Chicago’s 3-1 lead in the sixth inning.

Freddy Peralta (1-1), Milwaukees first reliever, pitched two scoreless innings and struck out five.

Mills (2-1) had been slated to start on Saturday but was bumped up when Friday’s scheduled starter Tyler Chatwood was scratched with mid-back tightness. Mills hadn’t pitched since Aug. 3.

The Cubs loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth before Brewers closer Josh Hader came in and walked Steven Souza Jr. and hit David Bote with a pitch. Hader struck out pinch-hitter Josh Phegley to end the inning, then worked around a two-out walk to Anthony Rizzo in the ninth to earn his fourth save.

Rizzo, Jason Kipnis and Ian Happ had RBIs for Cubs, who lost for just the second time in 11 games. Chicago dipped to 13-4 as Cubs hitters struck out 15 times against four pitchers.

Milwaukee ended a two-game losing streak and won for the third time in eight tries.

After working quickly to retire the first 12 Brewers hitters, Mills allowed four runs on five hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked one.

Milwaukee starter Brandon Woodruff mostly matched Mills early, not allowing a baserunner until Rizzo reached on an error with one out in the fourth.

Woodruff labored and left in the fifth when Chicago sent nine to the plate and took a 3-1 lead. Kipnis and Rizzo drove in runs with singles, and Happ walked with the bases loaded.

LO-MO GOES

1B/OF Logan Morrison, designated for assignment by the Brewers on Monday, cleared waivers and declined to report to the teams alternate site in Appleton, Wisconsin. The 32-year-old Morrison, who has struggled since hitting 38 homers with Tampa Bay in 2017, is now a free agent.

TRAINERS ROOM

Brewers: Manager Craig Counsel hopes to get 1B/OF Ryan Braun back into the lineup Saturday. Braun was available off the bench Friday, but his throwing has been hampered by an infected right index finger.

Cubs: IF/OF Kris Bryant was held out the lineup for a second day with a sore left wrist and ring finger but was available off the bench. Bryant was injured trying to make a diving catch in Cleveland on Wednesday, but manager David Ross said its not serious. … LHP Jos Quintana (left thumb surgery) is scheduled to pitch a four-inning simulated game on Sunday at the teams alternate site in South Bend, Indiana.

UP NEXT

Brewers RHP Adrian Houser (1-1, 2.65) takes the mound Saturday in a game thats been moved to 2:20 p.m. from 7:15 p.m. because storms are forecast. The Cubs had not yet named a starter. Houser pitched seven shutout innings to beat the Cubs in Milwaukee on Aug. 5.

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