Victor Caratini lined a three-run home run with two outs in the 10th inning to give the Milwaukee Brewers a 5-2 walk-off victory over the visiting Chicago Cubs on Monday in the opener of a three-game series.
Rowdy Tellez was walked intentionally with one out in the 10th to put runners at first and second. Luis Urias popped out. Caratini, who had struck out in his previous four at-bats, lined a 2-1 pitch from Scott Effross (1-4) over the wall in center for his seventh home run.
The Cubs loaded the bases with one out in the top of the 10th with a single and walk, but Brad Boxberger (3-1) recovered to strike out Willson Contreras and Ian Happ.
Chicago took a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth on an inside-the-park home run by Seiya Suzuki off Brewers closer Josh Hader, but the Brewers answered with a run in the bottom half.
Urias opened the Brewers ninth with a single to right off closer David Robertson. Keston Hiura bounced a one-out drive over the wall in left-center for a ground-rule double, holding Urias at third. Kolten Wong was hit by pitch with two outs to load the bases and Christian Yelich walked to force in the tying run.
Hader, who leads the majors with 25 saves, struck out Happ to open the ninth. Suzuki, activated earlier Monday after missing almost five weeks with a sprained finger, lined a 2-0 pitch off the wall in left-center. The ball caromed back past centerfielder Jonathan Davis and Suzuki didn’t hesitate rounding third, sliding home just ahead of the relay throw for his fifth homer.
Milwaukee, held to one hit through six innings by Justin Steele, tied it 1-1 in the seventh. Hiura drew a two-out walk and stole second. Pedro Severino, activated Sunday after completing an 80-game PED suspension, followed with an RBI double to left.
Rookie Nelson Velazquez put the Cubs up 1-0 in the third with his first career home run, a one-out solo shot to left off Eric Lauer. It was the 17th homer given up by Lauer, and ninth in his last five starts. He gave up 16 all last season.
Lauer allowed just one other hit — a one-out double in the fourth to Happ — in six innings. He struck out nine and walked two.
Steele did not allow a hit until Urias sliced a double down the right-field line to open the fifth.
–Field Level Media
