National League Game Summary - Milwaukee at Chicago
(Thursday, April 12th)
Final Score: Chicago 8, Milwaukee 0
Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Matt Garza tossed 8 2/3 shutout innings as the
Chicago Cubs avoided a sweep with an 8-0 drubbing of the Milwaukee Brewers in
the final test of a four-game series at Wrigley Field.
Garza (1-0) allowed just three hits and two walks while striking out nine for
the Cubs, who are off to a 2-5 start this season.
"I just stayed under control and kept attacking the zone," Garza said. "When
you have a five-run lead, you just have to go after them, you can't nitpick
because they have some guys than can really hurt you."
Starlin Castro went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI, Alfonso Soriano knocked in a
pair of runs, while Reed Johnson, Ian Stewart and Darwin Barney all drove in a
run for Chicago.
Nyjer Morgan collected two of the three hits for the Brewers, who fell to 4-3
on the young season.
Zack Greinke (1-1) was shelled for all eight runs on nine hits and one walk
while striking out five in 3 2/3 innings for Milwaukee.
Chicago opened the scoring in a big way in the third, exploding for six runs.
Steve Clevenger started the offensive barrage with a leadoff double and scored
on a single to left by Johnson for the first run of the inning. After Garza
fanned, David DeJesus slapped a single to center and Barney followed with an
RBI single up the middle.
Castro then ripped a single up the middle to score DeJesus to make it 3-0.
Both runners advanced on a wild pitch by Greinke, and Soriano drove both in
with a single to right. The Cubs then plated the final run of the inning after
Soriano stole second and came around to touch home on a single by Stewart.
"I know some of the balls were up," Greinke said. "With two strikes, I didn't
make very good pitches, but besides that, there's not much I thought I could
have done differently."
Chicago added two more runs in the fourth when Clevenger again led off with a
double. After Johnson and Garza struck out, DeJesus poked one to shortstop
that could not be handled by Alex Gonzalez, allowing Clevenger to score.
Greinke then issued a free pass to Barney, which brought manager Ron Roenicke
out of the dugout and Castro greeted new Brewers pitcher Manny Parra by
slapping an RBI single to center field.
Shawn Camp recorded the final out of the game in the top of the ninth to
finish off the win.
Game Notes
Greinke is 2-2 in four career starts against the Cubs has allowed 17 earned
runs ...Milwaukee finished 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position while
stranding five...The Cubs were 7-of-12 with runners in scoring position while
stranding only four...Chicago will begin a three-game series in St. Louis on
Friday, while the Brewers will start a three-game set in Atlanta on Friday.
04/12 19:34:03 ET

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