The Milwaukee Brewers try for their second series victory in as many tries this season as they close out their three-game set against the Chicago Cubs at American Family Field on Sunday afternoon, June 28.
Right-hander Brandon Woodruff (2-1, 3.00) seeks to replicate the terrific start he made his last time out against the Cincinnati Reds, while the Cubs counter with left-hander Ryan Rolison (5-1, 1.82).
This is Game 81 for Milwaukee, officially signifying the halfway point of the 2026 season.
Bullpen steps up late
Abner Uribe threw a 1-2-3 eighth to finish his day with 1 ⅔ scoreless innings, his lengthiest outing in a regular-season game since last July 12.
After the offense failed to capitalize on another opportunity in the bottom of the frame, stranding Brice Turang at third with two outs, Trevor Megill struck out three in the ninth while working around a two-out Nico Hoerner single to exhaust Milwaukee of its top relief options.
The Brewers offense again put a little something together in the bottom of the ninth with a one-out walk and a single, but Cooper Pratt and Joey Ortiz both struck out to make it 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position and eight runners stranded on the day.
An ugly seventh for Aaron Ashby
After Seiya Suzuki popped out to open the seventh, Aaron Ashby walked Ian Happ. One pitch later, Hoerner lined a single to center to leave the Cubs with runners on first and third.
With Matt Shaw pinch-hitting, Ashby spiked his first offering about five feet in front of the plate for a wild pitch, allowing Happ to score and tie the proceedings at 1-1.
Later in the at-bat, Ashby balked with Hoerner dancing far off second base, leaving the go-ahead run only 90 feet away with just one out.
At that point Uribe got the call and he quickly set about shutting down the Chicago comeback attempt, first with a strikeout of pinch-hitter Pedro Ramírez and then a flyout by Dansby Swanson.
Another terrific start by Brandon Woodruff
After getting Swanson to line out to center to begin the sixth, Woodruff got into a protracted nine-pitch battle with Pete Crow-Armstrong before finally losing him on a walk.
With Alex Bregman up, Crow-Armstrong stole second on a bang-bang play and then advanced to third on a groundout by Bregman that Pratt nearly botched but hung with to complete the play.
Woodruff was pulled at that point for Ashby, and he made quick work of Michael Busch with a five-pitch strikeout to keep it a 1-0 game.
Since returning from the injured list on June 22, Woodruff has thrown 11 ⅔ scoreless innings in his two starts with two hits and two walks allowed while striking out 16 to lower his season ERA to 2.59.
Some good, some bad in the early going
Following the home run, the Brewers applied pressure in both the third and fourth innings but failed to capitalize with David Hamilton and Christian Yelich both singling with one out and then Jackson Chourio and Turang striking out and then Andrew Vaughn tripling to start the fourth only to ultimately be stranded.
Woodruff, however, was once again on his game as aside from the Cubs putting together a double and a walk in the third and not cashing in he faced the minimum with six strikeouts.
An early homer for the Brewers
Rolison had faced the minimum through five batters with Gary Sánchez due up.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell was on the verge of going to right-hander Bryse Wilson but decided against it and paid the price when Gary Sánchez turned on a fastball on the inner half and yanked it down the left-field line for a 415-foot homer and a 1-0 Milwaukee lead.
It was the eighth longball of the season for Sánchez.
What time is the Brewers game today?
Time: 1:10 p.m. CT.
What channel is the Brewers game on?
Brewers.TV.
What is the Brewers’ record?
50-30, first place in the NL Central.
Brewers lineup
Cubs lineup
Brewers probable pitchers and schedule
Brewers vs. Reds, June 29, 6:40 p.m.: Milwaukee LHP Robert Gasser (1-3, 4.50) vs. Cincinnati LHP Nick Lodolo (2-2, 5.59). TV – Brewers.TV. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
Brewers vs. Reds, June 30, 6:40 p.m.: Milwaukee RHP Brandon Sproat (2-4, 5.43) vs. Cincinnati RHP Rhett Lowder (3-5, 4.81). TV – Brewers.TV. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
Brewers vs. Reds, July 1, 7:10 p.m.: Milwaukee LHP Shane Drohan (3-2, 3.12) vs. Cincinnati LHP Andrew Abbott (5-4, 3.90). TV – Brewers.TV. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
Brewers vs. Reds, July 2, 1:10 p.m.: Milwaukee RHP Jacob Misiorowski (9-3, 1.45) vs. Cincinnati RHP Chase Burns (9-1, 2.00). TV – Brewers.TV. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brewers 1, Cubs 1 (10th inning): Cubs tie it up in the seventh against Aaron Ashby
Reporting by Todd Rosiak, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Todd Rosiak, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
