Rizzo homers in 4th straight game, Cubs beat Brewers 4-2
MILWAUKEE (AP) Anthony Rizzo is on a roll and he's bringing his Cubs along for the ride.
The first baseman made it four straight games with a home run with a three-run shot in the third inning to lead the Cubs to a 4-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday night.
Kyle Hendricks scattered four hits for the Cubs, who have won the first three games of the series and four straight overall. Rizzo is a big reason.
''He's really on a roll and it's fun to watch,'' said Cubs manager Joe Maddon.
The slugger is 7 for 11 with three home runs in the first three games against the Brewers. He has hit 13 in his career against Milwaukee, the most against any opponent.
Rizzo said the pitch he hit was a good one from Matt Garza, but he was able to get a bat on it.
''It was a tough pitch to hit,'' he said. ''I'm feeling really good right now. But the most important thing is we got another win.''
Garza said Rizzo is ''locked in.''
''(We) called a fastball in. I knew he was sitting on it so I tried to go up and he got it,'' Garza said. ''Fastball high and inside, he hit it out.
''That's the way my year has gone.''
Hendricks (5-5) also had a lot to do with the win, giving up one run on four hits, while striking out six. He won for the first time in his last five starts.
He was pulled after giving up a lead-off single in the eighth inning.
Jason Motte gave up a lead-off double to Adam Lind in the ninth, but Jorge Soler made a great catch of a long drive from Khris Davis at the top of the right field wall. Tommy Hunter came on to get Jean Segura to ground out to score Lind, and Hernan Perez flied out to end the game. It was Hunter's first save of the season.
Garza (5-12) gave up three runs on four hits in six innings for the Brewers. He walked four and struck out five. Garza is 1-5 in his last seven starts and his 12th loss of the season tied a career high from 2009 with Tampa Bay.
The Cubs grabbed a 3-0 lead in the third inning. With two outs, Schwarber singled and Chris Coughlan walked. Rizzo hit the first pitch from Garza into the second level of the right field stands for his 20th of the season.
Davis' RBI single in the fourth inning cut the lead to 3-1.
Schwarber extended the lead to 4-1 with his fourth home run of the season with two out in the seventh.
ON A ROLL
CF Dexter Fowler extended his on-base streak to 16 games with a walk in the fifth inning. He is hitting .345 in his last 15 games. ...Schwarber has hit .338 with four home runs and 13 RBIs in his first 22 career games.
FLYING BAT
A woman sitting behind the Brewers' dugout was hit by piece of a broken bat from Schwarber in the third inning. She was tended by medical personnel and left the stands under her own power. She later returned to her seat. It was the second fan hit in recent weeks at Miller Park as a woman was hit in the face by a foul ball July 7 and seriously injured.
TRAINER'S ROOM
CUBS: C Miguel Montero will begin a rehab assignment Sunday with Double-A Tennessee. Montero has been on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained left thumb since July 17.
BREWERS: RHP Brandon Kintzler remains on the 15-day disabled list with left knee tendinitis. No date has been set for his return.
UP NEXT:
CUBS: LHP Clayton Richard (1-0) will be recalled from Triple-A Iowa Sunday and start the final game of the series. The Cubs acquired Richard from the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash on July 3.
BREWERS: RHP Kyle Lohse (5-12) starts the series finale. He has struggled this season, giving up 24 home runs in his 22 starts. He was the losing pitcher Monday as the San Francisco Giants beat the Brewers 4-2.