CHICAGO (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers have found a left-handed complement for Ryan Bryan in the batting order, and everything is right in their world at the moment.
Early season sensation Eric Thames homered in his club record-tying fifth straight game and the streaking Brewers turned back the Chicago Cubs 6-3 on Monday night. The victory was their sixth in the last seven games.
Milwaukee never trailed after Thames hit an opposite-field homer to snap a 3-3 tie in the third inning. Jeromy Burnitz became the first and last Brewers player to homer in five straight games in August, 1997.
“You’ve just got to ride the wave and enjoy it,” said Thames, 30, who played in Korea last three years. “There’s always dark times around the corner, so you’ve just got to take it in stride.”
Braun and Jeff Bandy also went deep for Milwaukee, the only team to hit as many as three homers in a game off Chicago starter John Lackey (1-2) last season.
“It’s unique that Ryan’s not getting the attention after a five-home run start in the first couple weeks of the season,” manager Craig Counsell said. “But he’s happy with it, I guarantee you.”
The Cubs lost for a fourth straight time, their worst stretch since a five-game skid from July 5-9 last season. At 6-7, the defending World Series champs have lost four consecutive games at Wrigley Field for the first time since May, 2014.
Brewers starter Chase Anderson (2-0) pitched five innings of three-run, seven-hit ball to pick up the victory. He walked two batters and struck out five. Neftali Felix pitched a scoreless ninth for his fifth save in as many tries.