Game Recap: Cubs rout Brewers

Benny Sieu - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - 13 hours ago

MILWAUKEE - No one will argue that the Chicago Cubs (20-13) have gotten off to a great start this season. However, this has happened before, most recently last season, before the two went into a two-month stretch where they were one of the worst teams in the game. Knowing that some fans are trying to temper their excitement, as this story has been written before.

One way to change the fan's perspectives is by proving this is a different team than last season, and what better way to show it than by going into American Family Insurance Field (Wrigley North) and trying to send a message to the Milwaukee Brewers (16-17). This is a team that has not only ruled the NL Central the last few seasons, but they have had the Cubs' number since defeating them in game 163 in 2018, as the Cubs know this is the team they have to beat this season.

Not only did the Cubs go out to show that this team is vastly different than last year, but they did it in a dominating fashion and sent a message to the rest of the NL Central. Granted, this is just one game of plenty against the Brewers, but after knocking them off 10-0, this could be a sign of things to come.

Whether it be the opener, Tyler Alexander, or Quinn Priester, who came into the game after just 2/3 of an inning, the Cubs wasted no time getting their offense rolling as they jumped on the Brewers instantly and never looked back. Two batters into the game, the Cubs had runners on the corners, and Ian Happ and Kyle Tucker started things off with a pair of singles.

Singles were the theme of the first inning, with Carson Kelly and Nico Hoerner adding a pair of RBI singles later in the inning to put the Cubs in front 2-0, and they never looked back from there. This was one of those rare instances where the Cubs not only led from start to finish against Milwaukee, but had they not scored the rest of the way, they would've made this lead hold.

Credit Ben Brown for some of that, as the right-hander went out and delivered his best outing in quite some time. Brown finished his start with six innings pitched, allowing no runs on four hits and four strikeouts. Considering he held the Brewers hitless through seven innings last year in Milwaukee, it's safe to say that he loves pitching here, and he has earned another start or two following this outing.

As if the first inning wasn't good enough for the Cubs offense, the second inning would be as they not only continued to build on their lead, but had the pressure instantly on Priester. Following a leadoff single from Dansby Swanson, a pair of walks loaded the bases with Nicky Lopez and Happ reaching.

Given who was to follow, this was one of those game-changing moments, and with Tucker and Seiya Suzuki picking up a pair of RBI singles, the Cubs scored two more times to push their lead to 4-0. Still, with nobody out and the bases still loaded, Michael Busch came through with the biggest hit of the night as he took Priester the opposite way for a Grand Slam and broke the game wide open 8-0.

Pete Crow-Armstrong would tack on his first of two homers later in the inning to close out the seven-run frame, as it was all Cubs at this point, 9-0. Even with the Cubs' offense scoring just one run the rest of the way, they kept the pressure on the Brewers early on as Priester and the rest of the Brewers staff had to work extremely hard to keep the Cubs from adding on early.

They did that, but with Brown limiting the Brewers to just four singles in the game, Milwaukee couldn't get much of anything going as they couldn't use their speed to their advantage. The game's final run for the Cubs came in the seventh when Crow-Armstrong got into his second homer to push the lead to 10-0 as his hot hitting continued.

Not only did Brown give the Cubs a great outing, but it was also the season debut of Chris Flexen, who entered the game in the seventh to take over for Brown. Although not as dominant as Brown was, Flexen still had a great outing as he walked two and struck out four across three innings. He allowed just one hit and, most importantly, no runs as he picked up the three-inning save in the Cubs' dominating win.

Whether this is a sign of things to come or not, when these teams meet again remains to be seen, but this is all the proof you need that this team is built differently than a season ago. Nearly every starter in the lineup recorded at least one hit, and four players had a multi-hit effort, as that is all you can ask for from this team.