Starting Lineups:

Milwaukee Brewers (26-18):

1) Jackson Chourio (R) CF

2) Brice Turang (L) 2B

3) William Contreras (R) C

4) Christian Yelich (L) DH

5) Andrew Vaughn (R) 1B

6) Jake Bauers (L) LF

7) Luis Rengifo (S) 3B

8) Sal Frelick (L) RF

9) Joey Ortiz (R) SS

Starting Pitcher: RHP Brandon Sproat (1-2, 5.75 ERA)

Chicago Cubs (29-18):

1) Nico Hoerner (R) 2B

2) Michael Busch (L) 1B

3) Alex Bregman (R) 3B

4) Ian Happ (S) LF

5) Seiya Suzuki (R) RF

6) Michael Conforto (L) DH

7) Carson Kelly (R) C

8) Pete Crow-Armstrong (L) CF

9) Dansby Swanson (R) SS

Starting Pitcher: LHP Shota Imanaga (4-3, 2.32 ERA)

Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL — In the series opener between N.L. Central rivals, the Milwaukee Brewers skated past the Chicago Cubs 9-3 thanks to an explosive fourth and fifth inning.

The Brewers would get on the board first in the top of the second inning.

Christian Yelich took the first pitch he saw and parked it in the right field seats to put Milwaukee ahead, 1-0. Yelich clubbed his 3rd homer of the year in his third game back from the IL.

The Brew Crew would break the game open in the top of the fourth inning.

William Contreras led off the top of the fourth inning with a single to left field. Contreras would reach second base on a fielder’s choice from Yelich.

Andrew Vaughn would reach base on an infield single to put runners at the corners with one away, and Jake Bauers hit an RBI single up the middle to bring in Contreras to put the Brewers up 2-0. Two batters later, Sal Frelick hit a two-run double to the left field corner to put Milwaukee ahead 4-0.

Joey Ortiz would work a two-out walk to put two on with two away. One batter later, Jackson Chourio would hit an RBI single to center field to score another run, putting the Brewers ahead 5-0.

The Brewers tacked on to their lead in the top of the fifth inning and chased Cubs’ starter Shota Imanaga from the game.

Yelich drew a walk with one gone, and one batter later, Vaughn hit a double to the left field corner to put two in scoring position. Jake Bauers launched a ball to right field for a three-run homer to put the Brewers ahead 8-0.

The Cubbies collected their first hit and scored in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Carson Kelly would lead off the bottom of the fifth inning with a single back up the middle. Two batters later, Dansby Swanson would absolutely crush a ball to left field to make it 8-2 Milwaukee.

Nico Hoerner drew a one-out walk to keep the inning alive. Michael Busch would plate Hoerner with an RBI double to cut into the lead 8-3, Milwaukee.

The Brewers would score again in the top of the sixth inning to stretch their lead.

After a two-out walk worked by Brice Turang and a single by Contreras, Yelich would drop in a bloop RBI double to put Milwaukee ahead 9-3.

Shota Imanaga – photo courtesy of the Chicago Sun-Times

The Good: The Brewers’ offense was on fire — they mashed two homers, collected 9 hits, amounting to 8 runs off the Cubs’ starter Shota Imanaga. The Brewers would finish by scoring 9 runs on 13 hits.

The Bad/The Ugly: Cub’s starter Shota Imanaga did not have his best start; in particular, his fourth and fifth innings were a complete disaster. Imanaga was tagged for four runs in the fourth inning and three runs in the fifth inning. His line on the night: four and a third innings pitched, giving up 8 runs across nine hits.

-Matt Koper

Founder of Koper’s Korner