MILWAUKEE -- The Chicago Cubs lost 3-2 to the Milwaukee Brewers in 11 innings on Sunday afternoon. Here’s a quick look at the game.
How it happened: Martin Maldonado hit a ball to the wall in right with the bases loaded and one out off of Jason Motte in the bottom of the 11th for the game winner. Anthony Rizzo had tied the game in the eighth inning with a two-out double off the wall in right, scoring Dexter Fowler from first. Catcher Maldonado dropped the ball, allowing Fowler to score.
Miguel Montero broke a scoreless tie with a solo home run in the top of the sixth, but the Brewers took the lead in the seventh with back-to-back home runs by Maldonado and Elian Herrera off reliever Zac Rosscup.
Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks pitched well, throwing 5 1/3 scoreless innings before Joe Maddon went to the bullpen. Justin Grimm walked a hitter but got out of the sixth before Rosscup gave up the lead.
What it means: The Cubs dropped to .500 for the first time since being 2-2 on April 11. They lost their third straight series, including two to Milwaukee in a seven-day span with two different managers at the Brewers helm. The Cubs offense has gone quiet in day games this year, hitting under .220, while once again the bullpen faltered, this time after a good performance by a starting pitcher. It’s been an awful week on the mound for the Cubs, especially from their relief staff.
Second guessing: There’s plenty of it to go around in this game. Maddon pulled Hendricks in the sixth inning after just 85 pitches in a game he was leading 1-0. It gave the bullpen that much more of the contest to close out, and Rosscup couldn’t get the job done. Later, with the go-ahead run at third base in the eighth, Maddon chose to hit for lefty Montero as the Brewers went to a lefty reliever. Matt Szczur promptly struck out while Montero who is 2-for-7 with a home run off lefties this year -- watched from the bench.
Russell staying at nine: Before the game, Maddon reiterated that rookie Addison Russell will stay in the 9-hole for the foreseeable future.
“He’s not going to see any better pitches than he is right now,” Maddon said. “The only stigma attached to that is of the fat kid that used to play right field and hit ninth.
“Batting order is a circular situation. It’s not (Christopher) Columbus batting order where it falls off the face of the earth.”
Russell had a 12-game hitting streak snapped on Sunday.
What’s next: The Cubs return home to begin a seven-game homestand starting with a visit from the New York Mets on Monday night. Jon Lester (2-2, 4.04) faces Jacob deGrom (3-3, 2.95) in Game 1.