Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) – Yovani Gallardo pitched seven shutout innings to win for the first time in a month, and scored the first run as the Milwaukee earned a 2-0 victory over the Cubs to avert a three-game weekend sweep.
Gallardo (12-7) allowed four hits, walked three and fanned six. He was 0-2 over his previous five appearances and won for the first time since August 8 against Houston.
“I went out there and just tried to follow the game plan,” Gallardo said. “I was able to locate my fastball today.”
Gallardo doubled to lead off the fifth inning and scored on Ryan Braun’s two- out double. Milwaukee’s other run came on Casey McGehee’s 21st homer of the season.
Casey Coleman (1-2) was charged with five hits and a run over six innings pitched for the Cubs, who blanked the Brewers on Friday and Saturday.
“I felt good. I just wanted to keep the team in the game,” Coleman said. “Gallardo was the key. It was a good start, but it could have been better.”
McGehee grounded out to leave the bases loaded in the third, and the Cubs left two men on in the following two frames.
In the bottom of the fifth, Gallardo led off with a double to center. After Rickie Weeks grounded out and Corey Hart struck out, Braun doubled to right field.
Xavier Nady singled with two outs in the eighth, but John Axford entered for Kameron Loe and retired Tyler Colvin on a fly ball to end the frame.
McGehee homered to left off Thomas Diamond in the eighth.
Alfonso Soriano walked to lead off the ninth and made it to second with one out, but pinch-hitter Aramis Ramirez grounded out and pinch-hitter Micah Hoffpauir struck out to end the game, giving Axford his 21st save.
Before Sunday, Chicago held the opponent scoreless in the last 21 innings… McGehee is looking to break the franchise record for RBI in a season as a third baseman, which is currently held by Braun (97 RBI in 2007). McGehee has 93 now.