Quintana dominates Brewers again
CHICAGO – The Milwaukee Brewers don’t want to hear that lefty José Quintana struggles against other teams. As far as they’re concerned, he’s Sandy Koufax, Warren Spahn and Whitey Ford, all rolled into one.
On a day when the wind and chill already gave pitchers an advantage, Quintana again dominated the Brewers for seven innings on Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field. The result was a 3-0 victory for the Chicago Cubs, who blanked Milwaukee for the fourth time this month.
By allowing just two hits and one walk with seven strikeouts, Quintana extended his scoreless streak against the Brewers to 24 innings, going back to July 28 of last season. In six starts against them, he is 4-1 with a 0.63 earned run average (three runs in 43 innings).
In two starts this season, Quintana has blanked the Brewers over 13 innings. In his three other starts, he is 0-1 with a 11.19 ERA.
Brewers fielders had trouble with the wind and sun throughout the game, and it cost starter Junior Guerra a run in the third inning. After a two-out single by Albert Almora Jr., Javier Báez lofted a fly ball toward center that was blown toward right field.
Centerfielder Lorenzo Cain lost the ball in the sun and began waving toward rightfielder Domingo Santana to come in and field the ball. Santana did not get there, however, leaving shortstop Orlando Arcia to try to catch it on the dead run. The ball caromed off Arcia’s glove for what became a run-scoring double, giving the Cubs a 1-0 lead.
The Brewers wasted a prime opportunity to tie the score in the fourth. Cain became the first base-runner against Quintana, lining a double to left-center, then advancing to third on a wild pitch.
All the Brewers had to do was get a ball out of the infield but they were unable to do so. Christian Yelich struck out, Ryan Braun fouled out and Santana grounded out, with Báez making a sliding stop up the middle to throw him out.
The Cubs boosted their lead to 3-0 in the seventh on pinch-hitter Tommy La Stella’s two-run single to left off reliever Oliver Drake. The victory gave them a 6-1 record against the Brewers this season.
FIVE TAKEAWAYS
AGUILAR SITS AGAIN: For the second time in three games here, Braun started at first and Jesús Aguilar watched from the bench. Aguilar has batted .433 in seven starts at first base and the Brewers have been having trouble scoring runs, especially against the Cubs. Aguilar was 2 for 14 (.143) for his career against Quintana but Santana was 0 for 7 with three strikeouts and has four RBI for the season.
SECRET TO QUINTANA’S SUCCESS: Why does Quintana dominate the Brewers so thoroughly? Manager Craig Counsell said the answer is simple. “He has commanded his fastball well against us, in and out,” Counsell said. “That’s been the key to his success. His command of his fastball has been very good. It’s the foundation for everybody. I’d give him some credit. He’s pitched very well against. The game he pitched last September was probably one of the better games pitched against us in the last couple of years. All hitters need balls in the middle of the plate. When pitchers stay on the edges, it’s challenging.”
BULLPEN STREAK ENDS: When the Cubs scored twice off Drake, the Brewers’ bullpen streak of 32 consecutive innings without allowed an earned run came to an end. Over that stretch, opponents batted .143 and struck out 38 times. It was the third-longest such streak in franchise history.
ANOTHER DAY AT WINDY WRIGLEY: Once again, the wind was howling in at Wrigley, making it tough on fielders but more so for hitters. Counsell said no other park has conditions that affect play as much as the wind at Wrigley. “No, not the plus-minus on both sides of it,” he said. “No chance. It’s unique in that regard. Every day I come here, I think, ‘This park is way too small. It’s just not big enough.’ Then, you play on days like this weekend and you see it’s not too small. You’ll have Aprils like this where you can’t get balls out of the park. It becomes a different game.”
A HIT IN THE BOX SCORE: The wind played a role in Chicago’s Kyle Schwarber getting credited for a hit he didn’t deserve in the fourth inning. Schwarber hit a towering pop up that landed safely on the right side of the infield, with only third baseman Hernán Pérez attempting a catch. Everyone else just watched.
RECORD
This year: 16-12. Last year: 14-14.
COMING UP
Sunday: Brewers at Cubs, 1:20 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Zach Davies (2-2, 4.45) vs. Chicago RHP Tyler Chatwood (1-3, 3.74). TV: FS Wisconsin. Radio: AM-620.