MILWAUKEE (AP) — Andrew Vaughn hit a grand slam and had a career-high six RBIs as the surging Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Chicago Cubs 9-3 on Tuesday night.
Milwaukee’s Jackson Chourio and Chicago’s Ian Happ left the game early. Chourio suffered a right hamstring spasm while hitting a leadoff triple in the fifth inning. Happ departed after fouling the ball off either the top of his left foot or the lower part of his left shin in the eighth.
The Brewers, who have the best record in baseball at 63-43, won for the 15th time in 18 games. They extended their NL Central lead to two games over Chicago.
Vaughn’s grand slam off Ryan Pressly was a 409-foot shot to left that gave Milwaukee a 9-2 lead in the sixth. Vaughn, who went 3 for 4, also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the second and hit an RBI single in the fifth.
Chicago’s Nico Hoerner went 3 for 4 with a solo homer.
Milwaukee’s Quinn Priester (10-2) allowed two runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings while striking out three and walking two. Aaron Ashby allowed one run in 3 1/3 innings to earn his second save.
Chicago’s Colin Rea (8-5) allowed four runs and eight hits in four innings. He struck out two and walked one.
Key moment
Trailing 2-1, the Cubs had runners on third and second with one out in the fourth. In the fifth, they had men on the corners with one out. They failed to score each time.
In the fourth inning, Dansby Swanson struck out swinging for the second out. Reese McGuire then hit a dribbler just to the left of home plate that was ruled fair by home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn, and catcher William Contreras grabbed the ball and tagged him for the final out.
Seiya Suzuki grounded into a 5-4-3 double play to end the fifth.
Key stat
Vaughn has 21 RBIs since the Brewers called him up from the minors on July 7. The only major league player with more RBIs during that stretch is Philadelphia’s Kyle Schwarber.
Up next
Shota Imanaga (7-4, 3.12 ERA) starts for Chicago and Freddy Peralta (12-4. 2.81) pitches for Milwaukee as the Brewers attempt to complete a three-game sweep Wednesday.
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