Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Jeff Bianchi's first career homer, a three-run
blast in the second inning, gave Yovani Gallardo enough run support as the
Milwaukee Brewers downed the Chicago Cubs, 4-1, at Wrigley Field.
Gallardo (14-8) capped a perfect August with seven innings of one-run ball.
The right-hander allowed just three hits and three walks while striking out
nine to extend his winning streak to six straight starts.
The Brewers have won seven of eight overall and seven in a row against their
NL Central rival, including the first two in this four-game series.
Travis Wood (4-11) homered for Chicago's only run, but served up Bianchi's
round-tripper to drop his eighth straight decision.
With two on and two outs in the second, Bianchi was given the green light on a
3-0 count and hammered a letter-high fastball over the left-field wall. It was
the shortstop's 20th career at-bat.
Wood, without much support from his offense, showed off his stroke in the
third by taking an 0-2 pitch over the wall in left-center for his first homer
as a member of the Cubs and third of his career.
The Cubs went to their bullpen in the eighth, and the Brewers added an
insurance run when Rickie Weeks got caught up in a rundown long enough for
Norichika Aoki to race home from third. Aoki had doubled with one out and
stole third prior to Weeks working a walk.
Francisco Rodriguez hurled a perfect eighth and John Axford set down Chicago
in order in the ninth to post his 21st save of the year.
Game Notes
Gallardo has pitched to a 1.90 ERA with 44 strikeouts in 42 2/3 innings during
his win streak ... Wood allowed five hits, struck out four and did not walk a
batter ... The Cubs' Darwin Barney tied David Eckstein's National League
record by going 113 straight games without an error at second base. Eckstein
accomplished the feat two years ago ... The Cubs did not have a runner reach
past second base.
The Sports Network