Field Level Media
Apr 6, 2021
Travis Shaw hit a three-run home run four batters into the game and Freddy Peralta pitched five strong innings Tuesday as the Milwaukee Brewers earned a 4-0 victory over the host Chicago Cubs.
The Cubs managed just one hit total against three Milwaukee pitchers and struck out 10 times.
Omar Narvaez also belted a home run as the Brewers won for the first time since squeaking past the Minnesota Twins in their season opener Thursday.
Peralta (1-0), who earned the fifth starter spot out of spring training, gave up the lone Cubs hit while making his first start of the season. The right-hander, who pitched two innings of scoreless relief on Opening Day, walked four Tuesday but had eight strikeouts.
Cubs starter Adbert Alzolay (0-1) settled down after his rough start, giving up just one more run through five innings after Shaw's early home run. He yielded four hits and two walks while striking out four.
Kris Bryant had the only Cubs hit, a fourth-inning double. Javier Baez struck out three times.
The Cubs still have a chance to win their second series in two tries when the teams meet again Wednesday afternoon.
After Milwaukee's Kolten Wong grounded out to start the game, Daniel Vogelbach walked, Christian Yelich singled and Shaw flipped a 1-0 pitch the opposite way to left field for his first home run of the season and a 3-0 advantage.
The Brewers made it 4-0 in the fourth inning when Narvaez hit a 1-0 pitch over the wall in center field. Narvaez also hit a home run Monday in the Brewers' 5-3 defeat to the Cubs.
Brewers left-hander Brent Suter followed Peralta with three hitless innings, retiring the first eight batters he faced before giving up a walk.
Milwaukee right-hander Brad Boxberger, who was added to the roster earlier Tuesday, hit Willson Contreras with a pitch in the left arm to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning. Contreras, who was hit in the head by a pitch Monday, shouted at Boxberger, which prompted both benches to clear, but there was no further incident.
Boxberger then got Anthony Rizzo to ground into a double play before retiring Bryant on a game-ending grounder to third base.
--Field Level Media