After completing a three-game sweep against the New York Mets on Thursday, the Chicago Cubs kept right on rolling Friday as they blew out the Milwaukee Brewers 7-1 at Wrigley Field.
Nicholas Castellanos continued his torrid summer with two more home runs and a total of four RBI’s, and Kyle Schwarber launched his 32nd home run of the season in the win. Victor Caratini drove in another run, helping the Cubs offense to a big day despite some big-name players sitting on the bench.
José Quintana, who has been dominant against the Brewers since being acquired by the Cubs in 2017, continued that trend Friday, giving up zero earned runs and striking out three batters in 5.2 innings of work. David Phelps and Steve Cishek also worked scoreless outings, and Pedro Strop allowed one run in the lone blemish of the day for the North Siders.
The Cubs got the ball rolling just three pitches into the game as Castellanos launched a home run into the left field bleachers, scoring Ian Happ and giving the home side a quick 2-0 advantage.
Quintana helped his own cause in the second inning with an RBI double to deep center field, and Castellanos struck again in the frame by pounding a two-run homer to put the Cubs ahead 5-0. The outfielder followed up the homer by slamming his bat into the ground in celebration, drawing cheers from the fans and consternation on social media.
That was all the offense that Quintana needed in a shutout effort, but Caratini’s seventh inning single and Schwarber’s eighth inning home run gave him a bit of a boost anyway as the Cubs won their fourth straight game.
The Cubs will try to make it five in a row on Saturday when they send Cole Hamels to the mound in the second game of the series. He will be opposed by Zach Davies, with first pitch scheduled for 1:20 p.m.
