Pinch-hit gut punch by Piña
Brewers catcher comes off the bench, hits homer to even series
Manny Piña’s two-run, pinch home run launched the Milwaukee Brewers to a 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field.
The loss ended the Cubs’ fourgame win streak and evened the series at a game apiece.
Adbert Alzolay, who returned to the rotation from the alternate site in South Bend, Ind., threw 4 ⅔ innings, allowing two hits while striking out seven and leaving with a 2-0 lead. But both of the runners Alzolay left on base came home thanks to Rex Brothers’ wild streak, and the game was decided by the bullpens.
Brewers starter Freddy Peralta, who struck out 18 and allowed only one run on three hits over 11 innings in two earlier starts against the Cubs, was nicked in the second by some well-placed hits from the bottom of the order. The Cubs had a man on with one out in the inning when No. 7 hitter Eric Sogard beat the shift with a single between short and second.
Nico Hoerner, who started at short in place of Javier Bàez, followed with a double that hugged the left-field line, bringing home two runs.
Alzolay started out slow, giving up a double and a walk to the first two batters he faced and watching them advance on a fly to left. But Alzolay struck out Travis Shaw on a 96 mph fastball and induced Billy McKinney to hit a soft liner to Hoerner.
Alzolay retired 12 straight after the first-inning walk before Keston Hiura doubled leading off the fifth. After a two-out walk to Corey Ray, the Simeon product making his major-league debut, Alzolay was yanked for Brothers, who walked two to force in a run then plunked Tyrone Taylor in the foot to bring in the tying run.