Christian Yelich, Keston Hiura Homer Off Craig Kimbrel in 10th Inning as Brewers Beat Cubs
MILWAUKEE — Christian Yelich and Keston Hiura hit home runs in the 10th inning off Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel and the Milwaukee Brewers rallied past Chicago 5-3 on Saturday night.
Yelich opened the 10th with his major league-leading 36th homer, tying it at 3. Pinch-hitter Tyler Saladino drew a walk from Kimbrel (0-2) and Hiura followed with his 11th homer and first career walk-off.
Albert Almora Jr. had put the Cubs up 3-2 when he opened the top of the 10th with his 11th homer, connecting against Freddy Peralta (5-3).
The Brewers and Cubs are one game behind the NL Central-leading Cardinals.
Hiura doubled home the tying run in the eighth when the Brewers erased a 2-0 deficit. Ben Gamel opened the inning with a pinch-hit homer off Steve Cishek, Lorenzo Cain followed with a double and scored on Hiura’s double.
The Cubs avoided wasting a superb outing by Jon Lester, making his 400th career start, who allowed just four singles over seven scoreless innings.
Anthony Rizzo staked the Cubs to a 2-0 lead with his 21st homer, a two-run shot in the third off Chase Anderson after Willson Contreras was hit by a pitch. Rizzo, who grounded out in the first, entered hitting .048 against Anderson with one hit in 21 career at-bats.
The Brewers briefly appeared to tie it in the sixth when Huira’s drive near the left-field foul pole initially was ruled a home run with Yelich aboard.
Umpires conferred on the field and ruled it foul. Video replays showed the ball barely passing to the left of the foul pole.
