CHICAGO (AP) — Brice Turang hit a two-run homer, Isaac Collins drove in two insurance runs and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs 4-1 on Thursday.
Turang and Sal Frelick each had two hits as the Brewers opened a seven-game lead over Chicago in the NL Central.
Milwaukee took the finale in a five-game series at Wrigley Field after the Cubs won three straight. The Brewers won Monday’s opener 7-0.
Milwaukee starter Quinn Priester allowed one run on three hits in 4 1/3 innings, but fell short of winning his 11th straight decision. The right-hander issued a season-high five walks while striking out four and was relieved by Nick Mears (5-3) in the fifth.
Five Brewers relievers limited Chicago to two hits. Trevor Megill worked around a single in the ninth for his 30th save.
Cubs starter Shota Imanaga (8-6) allowed two runs on three hits in seven innings, striking out five.
Pete Crow-Armstrong drove in the Cubs lone run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Chicago failed to cash in on eight walks and left 11 men on base.
Slumping Cubs All-Star slugger Kyle Tucker returned to the lineup after sitting out three games and went 0-for-4 with a walk.
Turang put the Brewers ahead in the second by sending Imanaga’s 2-0 fastball to the right-field bleachers against a steady wind.
Crow-Armstrong cut it to 2-1 in the fifth. Milwaukee put it away in the eighth when Collins singled in two runs of reliever Ryan Brasier.
Key moment
Priester issued his fifth walk, to Seiya Suzuki, with one out in the fifth to load the bases. Mears relieved and Crow-Armstrong delivered his sac fly. But Ian Happ flied out to end the inning and Milwaukee maintained a 2-1 lead.
Key stat
Turang is batting .377 (26-69) in August with eight homers and 20 RBIs.
Up next
Brewers: LHP José Quintana (10-4, 3.32 ERA) starts against the Giants on Friday in Milwaukee.
Cubs: Play the Angels in Anaheim Friday night.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
