Quintana shuts down Brewers, Cubs head home after 3-0 win
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jose Quintana tossed three-hit ball over six innings, Ben Zobrist homered and the Chicago Cubs finished their longest season-opening road trip in more than a century by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 3-0 on Sunday.
Albert Almora Jr. added an RBI double in the fifth for the Cubs, who took three of four games from their NL Central rivals.
Chicago finally heads home on Monday after playing its first nine games away from Wrigley Field. It was the franchise's longest road trip to open the season since a 12-game jaunt in 1899.
Quintana (1-1) struck out six and walked two while lowering his ERA in five starts against Milwaukee from 0.90 to 0.77.
His toughest jam came in the sixth after Lorenzo Cain singled and Domingo Santana walked with one out. But after Ryan Braun flied out, Quintana struck out Jesus Aguilar swinging on a 75-mph curve low in the zone.
Brandon Morrow pitched a perfect ninth for his second save.
Zobrist's solo shot off the foul pole in right against Chase Anderson in the fourth gave the Cubs the only run they would need at Miller Park. The Brewers are scuffling at the plate, having been shut out for the third time during a seven-game homestand.
They also committed an error for the seventh straight contest after pinch hitter Tommy La Stella's hard bouncer caromed off first baseman Jesus Aguilar's chest into short right, allowing Victor Caratini to score from second.
Anderson (0-1) allowed four hits and two runs over six innings.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cubs: 1B Anthony Rizzo missed a third straight game with back tightness. Manager Joe Maddon said Rizzo might miss the Cubs' home opener on Monday against Pittsburgh, but he wasn't "overly concerned" after talking to the first baseman and the trainer. "Everything I'm hearing from him and the trainers is that he's doing ... better, so I don't think we're far off," he said.
Brewers: OF Christian Yelich went on the 10-day disabled list on Sunday, four days after one of Milwaukee's prized offseason acquisitions got hurt during a 6-0 loss to St. Louis. The move was retroactive to Thursday. He was hitting .385 with one homer and five RBIs.
UP NEXT
Cubs: RHP Tyler Chatwood (0-1) gets the ball for the home opener. He has a 1.50 ERA in two career starts against the Pirates.
Brewers: Jhoulys Chacin (0-1) takes the hill when the team opens a six-game road trip at St. Louis. The right-hander is 0-6 with a 5.89 career ERA against the Cardinals.