Thanks to another tenth inning comeback, the Chicago Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers and moved another step closer to a division title.
Thanks to the win, the Cubs now lead the Brewers by five and a half games in the Central, and they reduced their magic number to clinch the division title to five.
Tommy La Stella's bases loaded walk in the tenth was the difference, and Carl Edwards Jr. got the win as the Cubs secured their second straight win over the Brewers.
John Lackey went four innings in the game, giving up three earned runs and striking out just one batter in a brief start. The Cubs' bullpen held Milwaukee to one run over six innings of work, and they were able to close the door on the team's ninth victory in their last 10 games.
Things looked bleak for the Cubs early in the contest, as Lackey allowed back-to-back home runs to Stephen Vogt and Brett Phillips in the third inning to give the Brewers an early 3-0 lead.
Slowly but surely, the Cubs fought their way back into the game, as Jon Jay smacked an RBI double and Kris Bryant hit an RBI single in the third inning to trim the lead to 3-2.
Ben Zobrist did his part in the fifth inning, singling to center field to drive in Jay and Bryant to give the Cubs a 4-3 lead. That lead would evaporate in the bottom of the frame however, as Brian Duensing gave up an RBI double to Travis Shaw to knot the game at 4-4.
Chicago Baseball
That would remain the score until the 10th inning, when the Cubs loaded the bases against Milwaukee reliever Corey Knebel. La Stella came in to pinch hit for Albert Almora, and he coaxed a bases-loaded walk to give the Cubs a 5-4 lead late.
Eric Sogard was on first base with one out in the 10th inning, but Willson Contreras threw him out while he tried to advance on a wild pitch, and then Edwards retired Neil Walker to end the game and give the Cubs the victory.
Thanks to the win, the Cubs now have a five game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the Central Division, and a five and a half game lead over Milwaukee.
The Cubs and Brewers will play again on Saturday afternoon, with a 12:05 p.m. first pitch in Milwaukee.
