Rizzo, Soler spark Cubs in 9-5 win over Brewers

Chicago Cubs’ Jorge Soler hits a pinch-hit, three-run home run off Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Cesar Jimenez, scoring Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo, during the seventh inning of a baseball game Monday, September 21, 2015, in Chicago.

Pittsburgh tagged him for four earned runs on five hits to claim the first game of the doubleheader that Tuesday.

“I could not be more proud of our guys”, said Maddon, whose team has seven games remaining on a 10-game homestand with Pittsburgh coming to town Friday.

Rizzo has 14 home runs in his career against the Brewers – the most in his career versus any foe. Castro, who had two hits and two RBIs for Chicago, drove in a run with a sacrifice fly before Miguel Montero singled in Rizzo, who doubled. Oblique injuries are tricky and I think the Cubs are right to play Soler sparingly, but if he can hit like this in limited duty… that’s a real bench weapon the Cubs would have in the postseason.

But for Milwaukee, which has lost eight straight games to Chicago and eight of nine overall, running into a red-hot Cubs team, has made winning tough. In 24 1/3 frames, the 33-year-old has surrendered only seven earned runs while posting a 21/7 K/BB ratio and carries a 2-0 record in four starts. But the ruling was reversed following a review, allowing the Cubs lead to stand. (Why the Cubs were so concerned with baserunner Logan Schafer, who isn’t particularly fast and has one stolen base in 60 games this year, is another matter.) Hammel settled down to strike out the next two hitters, but Domingo Santana singled in a second Milwaukee run.

“It’s very fluid”, Maddon said of that spot in the rotation.

Peralta (5-9, 4.41), a 17-game victor a season ago, gave up five runs and six hits in four innings of Wednesday’s 5-4 home loss to St. Louis. “A lot of good things happened tonight”.

“It takes all facets to beat the teams we’re playing right now – the Cubs, the Cardinals“, manager Craig Counsell said. “We’ve just got to get better location”.

An interesting option the Cubs have is pitching a bullpen game instead of utilizing a third starter. David Goforth worked around a hit and two walks, striking out one to get out of the eighth unscathed. Some of you might remember the peculiar, dead atmosphere at Game 1 of the Division Series against the Dodgers in 2008.

“I’m confident in myself”, he said.

So, the Cubs took care of business Monday night. Chicago trails the Pirates by two games in the race for home-field advantage in the wild-card game and is six back of St. Louis. More of that, please.

The significance of the Cubs’ seminal series against the MLB-leading Cardinals over the weekend reverberated into Monday’s series opener against the buzz-less Brewers.