Cubs 6, Brewers 1
CHICAGO -- Edwin Jackson allowed one run in eight innings and earned his third July victory as the Chicago Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-1 to salvage the finale of a four-game series Wednesday night.
Jackson (7-11) closed the month at 3-1, and he's 6-3 in 10 starts since June 9.
Anthony Rizzo went 2-for-4 with a double and a two-run home run, Starlin Castro was 2-for-4 with a solo homer, and David DeJesus finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs.
Chicago scored two runs apiece in the third, fourth and sixth innings.
The game was delayed approximately 70 minutes with two outs in the top of the sixth as rain and lightning swept in from the north/northwest.
The victory snapped a three-game Cubs losing streak and gave Chicago a 14-13 July record, its first winning month since going 15-10 in July 2012.
Jackson gave up eight hits, struck out four and didn't walk a batter.
Milwaukee starter Wily Peralta (7-11) did not return after the rain delay. He worked five innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
Right-hander Alfredo Figaro entered in relief and was greeted with a Welington Castillo single and Cody Ransom's double to right. DeJesus drove both home with a one-out base hit to right for a 6-0 lead.
The Brewers broke the shutout in the eighth. Jonathan Lucroy's two-out double down the first base line brought home Rickie Weeks.
Rizzo's 15th home run of the season gave the Cubs a 2-0 lead in the third. Rizzo launched Peralta's 3-1 pitch an estimated 398 feet to right-center to also drive in DeJesus.
The Brewers nearly got one run back in the fourth when Lucroy led off with a double down the third base line. Caleb Gindl singled to left, and the ball was bobbled by Cubs outfielder Julio Borbon. However, Borbon recovered in time to fire to catcher Castillo, who tagged Lucroy out at the plate.
The Cubs made it 4-0 in the fifth starting with Castro's one-out solo home run. His seventh homer of the season was his first since July 12 against St. Louis.
Chicago added another run when Ransom scored from third as DeJesus lined a single off Peralta's leg. An error by Lucroy at first then left Borbon safe and the bases loaded with two out, but Rizzo flew out to left to end the inning.
NOTES: The Brewers placed RHP Yovani Gallardo on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring. He pitched 4 2/3 innings in Game 1 of Tuesday's day-night doubleheader at Wrigley Field. ... Milwaukee optioned INF Scooter Gennett to Triple-A Nashville and then recalled him to take Gallardo's spot on the 25-man roster. ... Milwaukee is the only team this season with a perfect record (38-0) when leading after eight innings. ... RHP Travis Wood (7-7, 2.79 ERA) is tied for the major league lead with 18 quality starts. He's scheduled to start Friday in the second game of a four-game series with the Dodgers. ... LF Junior Lake began his Cubs career with a seven-game hitting streak, the first Chicago player to start like that since Jerome Walton in 1989. Lake had 15 hits through his first seven games, the most of hits any Cubs player through his first seven big league games since at least 1916, according to unofficial Cubs historian Ed Hartig. However, in his next seven games, including a popout as a pinch hitter Wednesday, Lake is 3-for-27 (.111).
