Marisnick stars as Cubs pound Brewers for 4th straight win

Jake Marisnick homered and matched a career high with five RBIs, and the Chicago Cubs pounded the Milwaukee Brewers 15-2 on Friday for their fourth straight victory.

Anthony Rizzo, Javier Báez and Willson Contreras also connected for Chicago, which was coming off a three-game sweep of the New York Mets. Nico Hoerner had three hits in his first start of the season.

Marisnick, a reserve outfielder known mostly for his defensive prowess, had two hits and scored three times in his third straight start.

"I just stay ready," he said. "I’m going to try to find a way to impact the game one way or another."

Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks (1-2) pitched six innings of two-run ball in his first win of the season. He struck out six and walked one, bouncing back nicely after a rough start against Atlanta.

"I made better pitches overall," he said. "I just need to continue down that road."

Milwaukee had won three in a row. Kolten Wong and Billy McKinney hit consecutive homers in the sixth, but that was it for the Brewers’ offense.

Wong finished with three hits in his first game since April 8. He had been sidelined by an oblique injury.

Brewers left-hander Brett Anderson (2-2) departed with right knee discomfort after throwing just 11 pitches. He said after the game that he will undergo an MRI to determine the source of pain that came from his lower hamstring.

"I went to try to stretch it out a little bit and then the next pitch, it kind of grabbed on me," Anderson said. "Nothing was an issue up until that point."

After Contreras grounded out, Kris Bryant and Rizzo doubled and Báez singled before Anderson was replaced by Josh Lindblom. Marisnick added a three-run double and Hoerner capped Chicago’s six-run first with an RBI double.

Rizzo and Báez hit consecutive homers in the second, and Marisnick added another solo drive in the fourth. Contreras hit his sixth homer off Angel Perdomo in the sixth.

The Brewers gave up 17 hits Friday after allowing 15 hits and three runs during a three-game sweep at San Diego. Manager Craig Counsell didn’t seem too concerned.

"The last thing I wanted was to get us kind of behind the eight ball for the first day of this stretch here," he said. "I think Josh threw 80 pitches, kind of sucked it up, helped us out."

WORTH NOTING

The Cubs had 17 batted balls over 102 mph, an MLB Statcast-era record (since 2015).

TRAINER’S ROOM

Brewers: Counsell said OF Christian Yelich (lower back) won’t be back Saturday, the first day he is eligible to return from the 10-day injured list. … RF Avisaíl García left after the first with what Counsell called back tightness. … Milwaukee made room for Wong (left oblique strain) by placing utility player Jace Peterson (left thumb) on the injured list.

Cubs: RHP Shelby Miller (low back strain) was placed on the 10-day injured list, and LHP Kyle Ryan was recalled from the team’s alternate site. Ryan pitched two scoreless innings.

UP NEXT

Milwaukee right-hander Freddy Peralta (2-0, 2.00 ERA) goes on Saturday, making his third start this month against the Cubs. Right-hander Adbert Alzolay (0-2, 6.10 ERA) pitches for Chicago.