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Locked-in Anthony Rizzo's three-run shot powers Chicago Cubs

By Andrew Wagner, The Sports Xchange
Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo. Photo by Brian Kersey/UPI
Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo. Photo by Brian Kersey/UPI | License Photo

MILWAUKEE -- Anthony Rizzo is so in the zone that he can crush pitches well out of it.

He did just that Saturday night, blasting a high-and-inside fastball from right-hander Matt Garza for a three-run homer, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 4-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.

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"The guy is locked in right now," Garza said. "(Catcher Martin Maldonado) called a fastball in; I knew he was sitting on it so I tried to go up and he got it. Fastball high and inside, he hit it out and I was just like, 'What the hell?'"

Rizzo's home run was his fourth in as many days and was one of two hits in the game, making him 7-for-11 with three homers, seven RBIs and four runs through the first three games of this four-game matchup.

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"It was a ball," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "He hit a ball for a home run. You don't see that very often."

Rizzo's shot put a punctation mark on an inning that quickly turned rough for Garza, who struck out the side in the second and quickly retired his first two batters in the third.

After working the count to 2-2, catcher Kyle Schwarber fouled off sixth straight pitches before singling into center. Garza walked Chirs Coghlan on four straight pitches, bringing up Rizzo.

"It was a tough pitch to hit," Rizzo said. "I'm feeling really good right now. But the most important thing is we got another win."

Garza settled in after that and made it through six innings. He was charged with the three runs and four hits but also walked four batters while striking out five.

"That's the way my year has gone," Garza said. "You just keep plugging away. I rolled off six after that long third.

"Just one pitch. Like I said, that's the way the year is going. You have to keep going out there and going right at it."

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Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks took advantage of the lead and continued his dominance of the Brewers, allowing one run, four hits and two walks while striking out six in seven-plus innings. He got a boost in the seventh when Schwarber added an insurance run with a solo home run to right center off Milwaukee right-hander Michael Blazek.

"Kyle was really good today. He was really good," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "I really liked the add-on run by Kyle. We're catching the ball, we're pitching ... we're doing a lot of things well -- suddenly. I appreciate all that stuff. Nice game. Just a nice, tidy game. I'll take it."

Milwaukee got its first run in the fourth on an RBI single by left fielder Khris Davis.

With nobody out and a runner on second in the ninth, Davis had a chance to get Milwaukee within a run after he hit a drive to right, but Jorge Soler robbed Davis of a home run with a catch at the fence.

Right-hander Tommy Hunter, making his Cubs debut, allowed a run to score on shortstop Jean Segura's groundout but got the final out for his first save since May 9, 2014.

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"Great, wonderful catch by Soler," Maddon said. "That was a big difference-maker for us."

Chicago has won four games in a row and Milwaukee has dropped four straight and nine of 12 since the All-Star break.

NOTES: Cubs manager Joe Maddon said LHP Clayton Richard will be recalled from Triple-A Iowa on Sunday and start the series finale at Milwaukee. Maddon added that RHP Dan Haren, acquired Friday in a trade with Miami, probably will make his first start Wednesday at Pittsburgh. ... Chicago officially added Haren and right-handed reliever Tommy Hunter to the 25-man active roster on Saturday. To make room for them, RHP Yoervis Medina was optioned to Triple-A Iowa. RHP Ben Rowen was designated for assignment Friday. ... Brewers manager Craig Counsell gave C Jonathan Lucroy a day off. He will be back in the lineup Sunday, Counsell said. ... Hernan Perez was back in the Brewers' lineup Saturday. Counsell said Perez will get most of the action at third base the rest of the way as Milwaukee looks for a long-term replacement for Aramis Ramirez, who was dealt to Pittsburgh.

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