MLB: Brewers take 3 of 4 from Cubs in crucial series

Brewers 8

Cubs 5

Tyler Austin drove a pinch-hit, three-run homer during the a five-run fourth against Jon Lester, and the Brewers won on Sunday in Milwaukee to pull within two games of the Cubs.

Staked to a 3-1 lead, Lester (12-10) allowed RBI hits to Ryan Braun and Hernan Perez before Austin’s homer. Lester allowed eight runs, seven hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings.

Brent Suter (1-0) gave up one hit in two scoreless innings, and Josh Hader struck out two batters for his 29th save.

Chicago’s Addison Russell was hit in the face by a 94 mph fastball from Adrian Houser in the third and left in the middle of the inning. He had a bruised nose and was under evaluation for a possible concussion.

Brewers 3

Cubs 2

Christian Yelich sliced an opposite-field double off Brandon Kintzler to score the winning run in the ninth inning to lift the Brewers to a big win over the Cubs on Saturday in Milwaukee.

Pinch-hitter Tyler Austin reached on shortstop Addison Russell’s throwing error and before Yelich batted, Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy came out to talk with Kintzler (3-3). Whatever was said didn’t work, as Yelich had his 500th career RBI.

Yelich walked three times and swiped second each time, extending his career-best to 30 steals. He became the 10th player in major league history with 40 home runs and 30 stolen bases, a feat that’s been accomplished 12 times, the last by Ryan Braun in 2012. Yelich, who has 44 homers, was on in the first, sixth and eighth, getting the record-setting swipe off Rowan Wick.

Brewers reliever Josh Hader (3-5) earned the win.

Brewers 7

Cubs 1

Christian Yelich hit his 44th homer and Zach Davies pitched five effective innings for his first win since July, helping Milwaukee beat Chicago on Friday in Milwaukee.

Yelich had the big blow in the Brewers’ four-run third inning, hitting a three-run drive to right-center.

Cory Spangenberg added a run-scoring bunt single off Cole Hamels, giving Milwaukee a 4-1 lead.

Cubs 10

Brewers 5

Kyle Schwarber’s grand slam off Drew Pomeranz capped a five-run sixth inning for Chicago in the opening game of the series on Thursday in Milwaukee.

The Cubs loaded the bases with one out in the sixth on two singles and a walk against Matt Albers (5-5), and Anthony Rizzo hit a sacrifice fly off Pomeranz for a 5-4 lead.

Jose Quintana (13-8) allowed four runs and in five innings to improve to 9-1 in his last 12 starts.