Harrison Fans 11, Brewers Complete Sweep With 5-0 Shutout at Wrigley

CHICAGO — Wednesday night was the same story as Tuesday, with one added indignity — this time the Cubs didn't score at all.

Kyle Harrison allowed two hits and struck out 11 over seven shutout innings as the Milwaukee Brewers completed a three-game sweep at Wrigley Field, beating the Cubs 5-0 on Wednesday night. Combined with Jacob Misiorowski's gem on Tuesday, Milwaukee's starters threw 13 innings without allowing an earned run in the final two games of the series. The Brewers outscored Chicago 19-5 across the three days and have won 11 of their last 13. The Cubs, now 29-21, fall 1.5 games back in the NL Central and have lost nine of their last eleven.

The Cubs Handed Milwaukee Three Runs Before the Game Was Decided

The moment that defined Wednesday night happened in the second inning, before Harrison even had a chance to be the story. With Frelick on second and Ortiz at first, David Hamilton lined what should have been an RBI single to center. The ball took a tough hop, glanced off Crow-Armstrong's glove, and rolled all the way to the warning track. Frelick and Ortiz both scored, and Hamilton came all the way around to make it 3-0 before Cabrera recorded the third out.

Three runs, all unearned — and against a lineup this cold, three runs in the second inning felt significant.

Take that error away and it's a 1-0 game heading to the third, with Cabrera still capable of keeping Chicago in it. Instead the Cubs were already chasing, and Crow-Armstrong's misplay wasn't even the first unearned gift of the night — in the same inning, Carson Kelly was charged with catcher's interference when the Brewers successfully challenged Sal Frelick nicking the glove on a swing, which started the whole rally. Kelly threw a ball into center on a stolen base attempt in the third, allowing Contreras to reach third. Two pitches later, Bauers singled him home to make it 4-0.

Three Cubs errors on the night. Nine of Milwaukee's runs in this series were unearned.

Cabrera Exits, Harrison Takes It From There

Edward Cabrera lasted three innings before being pulled one pitch into the fourth with a right middle finger blister. He allowed four runs — three unearned — and struck out two. His ERA climbs to 4.00, but the blister is the concerning part. The Cubs' rotation has been tested by injuries all spring, and losing Cabrera for any stretch deepens that problem. No word yet on how long he'll be out.

None of it mattered after the second inning anyway, because Harrison was already in a different gear. The 27-year-old left-hander used essentially two pitches — a four-seam fastball that touched 97.6 mph and a slurve — and made Chicago look completely overmatched. After Nico Hoerner led off the first with a double and Seiya Suzuki drew a walk in the second, Harrison struck out Carson Kelly to strand both runners, and then retired fifteen consecutive batters.

Fifteen in a row. The Cubs didn't have a baserunner again until Alex Bregman's leadoff single in the seventh. Harrison got the next three, walked off at 94 pitches, and finished with his fourth career double-digit strikeout game. His ERA is 1.77, and in his last five starts he's 4-0 with a 0.96 ERA and 41 strikeouts over 28 innings.

DL Hall — Harrison's former Boston teammate, also acquired in February's trade — closed out the final two innings without a blemish.

The Offense Has Gone Silent

Two hits. Zero runs. Thirteen strikeouts in 27 at-bats. The Cubs reached base twice after the second inning all night. Their RISP line for the game was 0-for-1.

Hoerner's leadoff double in the first gave Wrigley something to work with, but the Brewers challenged and overturned a play at third — Garrett Mitchell threw a 90.5-mph strike to nail Hoerner trying to tag and advance on a Bregman flyout. Harrison struck out Happ and the inning was over. That was the last real moment of hope.

The lineup has now been outscored 19-5 in three games against a Milwaukee staff that isn't historically great — it's hot right now. This isn't a team that's broken; the Cubs were 29-18 a week ago and led the division. But Dansby Swanson is hitting .191. Ian Happ struck out three times Wednesday. Crow-Armstrong's error changed the entire shape of the game. The defense made mistakes at the worst possible moments, and the offense had no answer for Harrison even when the game was still theoretically in reach.

Pitching Lines

What's Next

The Cubs have an off day Thursday before opening a three-game series against the Houston Astros at Wrigley on Friday. The Astros send Spencer Arrighetti (5-1, 1.50 ERA) to the mound for Game 1. First pitch Friday is at 1:20 p.m. CT on Apple TV.