Cubs 5, Brewers 0: A tie for first in the division as Milwaukee's offense goes silent
CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs took the series by handing the Milwaukee Brewers a 5-0 shutout defeat on Sunday at Wrigley Field.
The Brewers offense for the third consecutive day scuttled against Cubs starting pitching, while Brewers starter Freddy Peralta was undone by a three-run fifth inning.
The two teams are now tied for first place in the NL Central.
Cubs add insurance against Brewers bullpen
Dansby Swanson hit a solo homer in the sixth off Thyago Vieria to push the Cubs' lead to 4-0, then the home side tacked on another run in the seventh when Christopher Morel singled home Mike Tauchman with two outs against Janson Junk.
Bottom of Cubs order starts rally off Freddy Peralta
It didn't take much for the Cubs to get in business in the fifth. After Freddy Peralta threw four scoreless innings to start the day, Pete Crow-Armstrong plopped a grounder to the perfect spot and with the perfect velocity for an infield hit with one out and Miguel Amaya followed by being hit by a two-strike pitch.
Nico Hoerner laced a double to the gap in right-center to score both and put the Cubs ahead, 2-0. Hoerner moved up to third on a grounder to second and scored on a two-out wild pitch.
Peralta's command was largely nonexistent on the day. He walked six and hit one in five innings.
Brewers struggling to score against Javier Assad
Another day, another quiet start for the Brewers offense. Cubs righty Javier Assad is through five scoreless thanks to an 0 for 9 showing from Milwaukee with runners on base, pushing the total of shutout innings from Chicago starting pitching in this series to 18 1/3 innings.
BOX SCORE: Cubs 5, Brewers 0
Brewers catcher William Contreras hit a missile in the first inning that would have been gone on almost any day at almost any stadium, but the blustering winds knocked the ball down and forced a double.
Freddy Peralta opened with four scoreless for the Brewers.
Brewers lineup
Sal Frelick RF
William Contreras C
Tyler Black 1B
Willy Adames SS
Brice Turang 2B
Rhys Hoskins DH
Oliver Dunn 3B
Freddy Peralta SP
Cubs lineup
Nico Hoerner 2B
Mike Tauchman RF
Ian Happ LF
Christopher Morel 3B
Dansby Swanson SS
Pete Crow-Armstrong CF
Miguel Amaya C
Javier Assad SP
What is the Brewers record?
The Brewers are 20-12.
Brewers schedule
Brewers at Royals, Monday 6:40 p.m. Milwaukee Bryse Wilson RHP (2-1, 3.00) vs. Kansas City LHP Cole Ragans (2-2, 3.44). Broadcasts: TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620.
Brewers at Royals, Tuesday 6:40 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Colin Rea (3-0, 2.67) vs. Kansas City RHP Seth Lugo (5-1, 1.60). Broadcasts: TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620.
Brewers at Royals, Wednesday 1:10 p.m. Milwaukee RHP Joe Ross (1-3, 4.65) vs. Kansas City RHP Brady Singer (2-1, 2.45). Broadcasts: TV – Bally Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Cubs 5, Brewers 0: A tie for first in the division as Milwaukee's offense goes silent
