Brewers Lose Second Straight in 4-1 Defeat at Wrigley Field

CHICAGO – The Milwaukee Brewers suffered a disappointing 4-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, August 19, at Wrigley Field. This defeat not only marked their second consecutive loss but also completed a sweep in the split doubleheader against their Central Division rivals.

Despite being ahead by seven games in the standings, the Brewers now find themselves having dropped three of their last four games after an impressive streak of winning 14 games in a row. “I think we’re in a dang good spot,” said Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff. “We’re playing really good baseball. You’re not going to win every game. That’s a good team over there. We know it. We’re also a good team.”

Milwaukee managed to score first, getting a run in the first inning. William Contreras hit a single, followed by Christian Yelich walking, and then Andrew Vaughn’s single drove in Contreras. However, the Brewers could not score again, accumulating just five hits throughout the game.

Chicago starter Jameson Taillon made his return to the mound after a stint on the injured list, allowing the Brewers to score only one run while facing minimal challenges in the following innings.

Woodruff yielded a leadoff walk to Nico Hoerner in the second, which sparked a Cubs rally. Hoerner later stole second base and scored on Owen Caissie’s broken-bat single. Michael Busch then drove in two more runs with a double, lifting the Cubs to a 3-1 lead.

In total, Woodruff pitched 4 ⅓ innings, allowing five hits, three runs, and three walks while striking out six batters. He took his first loss of the season, now at 4-1, and the Brewers dipped to 7-1 with Woodruff on the mound this season.

“I think it was a good experience for him to go out there and have to grind,” said manager Pat Murphy, reflecting on Woodruff’s performance. “He had a couple things go against him. So, he had to battle every pitch.”

The game’s turning point came in the sixth inning when the Cubs scored again, giving them a 4-1 lead after another series of fortunate bounces. Milwaukee challenged late in the game, putting runners on the corners in the seventh, but a critical double play ended their hopes.

As if the loss wasn’t enough, the Brewers received troubling news regarding shortstop Joey Ortiz, who suffered a knee contusion during the game. X-rays were negative, but Murphy mentioned that Ortiz is unlikely to play in the next game.

The Brewers now hold a 5-6 record against the Cubs this season with two more games on the schedule. “We’ll be ready to go tomorrow and take it from there,” Woodruff said confidently.