Brice Turang hit Milwaukee’s fifth grand slam in its last eight games as part of a seven-run fourth inning, and the Brewers rolled to a 7-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday.
Freddy Peralta (6-4) and Jakob Junis combined on a two-hitter to help the NL Central-leading Brewers win their ninth straight home series. Milwaukee hasn't dropped a series at American Family Field since the New York Yankees took two of three from April 26-28.
The Brewers became the second team in major league history to hit five grand slams in an eight-game span, joining San Diego in 2020.
“We just have to keep doing what we've been doing,” Peralta said. “Probably some people around don't see us -- at the end of the season, they don't see us being in a good spot -- or probably in spring training they didn't expect us to be where we are right now. But we're the Brewers, and we've been doing this for like the last six years.”
Milwaukee’s highest-scoring inning of the season backed up a sparkling performance from Peralta, who worked seven innings and retired his last 14 batters.
After Nico Hoerner sent Peralta's second pitch of the game over the left field wall, the right-hander bore down and struck out eight while allowing only two hits and two walks. Junis walked one over the final two innings.
Christian Yelich hit a 422-foot, two-run homer in the fourth to put Milwaukee ahead. With one out, Cubs right fielder Ian Happ misjudged a fly ball from Rhys Hoskins, who was credited with a single.
“I kind of had a good bead on it, and it turned and moved a long way, kind of towards left-center there on its way down,” Happ said. “I probably wasn’t in a great spot. I kind of thought it was going to be more up against the wall over there, and it got turned around. Obviously not my best moment out there and it puts Kyle in a tough spot.”
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Sal Frelick followed with an RBI base hit, and with two outs, Turang sent his drive over the right-field wall to end Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks’ day.
It was Turang's second grand slam in his last five games and his sixth homer of the season, matching his total as a rookie last year.
“I worked extremely hard to get back to my swing,” said Turang, who is batting .292 this season after hitting .218 as a rookie last year. “I lifted in the gym. That's where you're going to get the strength. I'm not trying to crush, or hit homers. I'm trying to hit the ball hard back up the middle and just square it up. Good things happen when you're focused like that on trying to hit the ball back up the middle.”
Turang started Milwaukee’s flurry of grand slams on June 22 in the ninth inning of a 6-4 loss at San Diego. Three of his 12 career homers have come with the bases loaded.
Hendricks (1-6) gave up seven runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings while striking out three and walking one.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Brewers 3B Joey Ortiz (neck soreness) was out of the starting lineup for a third straight game. Ortiz entered the Brewers' 5-3 loss on Saturday as a pinch-runner in the ninth inning. “I think this is precautionary more than it is serious, but it's lingering, so we continue to make the decision to not start him,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said.
UP NEXT
Cubs: Begin a six-game homestand with a three-game set against the Philadelphia Phillies starting Tuesday. RHP Hayden Wesneski (2-4, 3.60 ERA) starts for the Cubs and RHP Michael Mercado (0-0, 0.00) pitches for the Phillies.
Brewers: Open a seven-game trip Monday with the first of four games at Colorado. RHP Bryse Wilson (5-3, 3.89) pitches for the Brewers and LHP Austin Gomber (1-45, 4.63) starts for the Rockies.
