MILWAUKEE — Marcus Stroman threw two-hit ball for seven innings, outpitching Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes and leading the Chicago Cubs over the Milwaukee Brewers 2-0 on May 1.
Patrick Wisdom homered as the Cubs ended a four-game losing streak. They had been outscored 20-2 in dropping the first two games of the series at Milwaukee.
Stroman (1-3) earned his first win for his new team in his fifth start. Pitching on his 31st birthday, he struck out five and walked one.
“I thought he threw really good,” Cubs manager David Ross said. “I think that’s the version of (himself) that he expects, that we’ve seen over the course of his career. He really controlled the tempo and looked really good.”
Burnes (1-1) struck out 10 in seven innings, giving up four hits. He retired the first 13 batters before Wisdom homered in the fifth.
The Cubs added a run in the sixth when Alfonso Rivas singled and scored on a double by Seiya Suzuki.
“For the most part, we did what we wanted to do,” Burnes said. “Wisdom is a good low ball fastball hitter, so it was one of those pitches he’s not going to miss. Definitely a mistake there then three bad curveballs to Suzuki and he finally hit one down the line. Other than that, it was pretty good.”
Chicago reliever Rowan Wick got two outs in the eighth and David Robertson closed for his fifth save.
By ANDREW WAGNER, Associated Press