Triple effect: Russell’s big hit propels Cubs

CHICAGO — Addison Russell smacked a tiebreaking two-run triple with two outs in the sixth inning and Anthony Rizzo drove in his team-leading 22nd run with a double to lift the Cubs to a 4-3 victory over the Brewers on Tuesday night. With the win, the Cubs improved to 15-5, their best start since the 1907 team began 16-4.

The cold and Milwaukee’s Jimmy Nelson stymied the Cubs, who began the night averaging 6.26 runs per game, tops in the Majors.

With the game tied at 1 in the Chicago sixth, Kris Bryant reached on a fielding error by third baseman Aaron Hill. One out later, Ben Zobrist walked to chase Nelson, and Carlos Torres got Jorge Soler to fly out to right. Russell then tripled into the gap in right-center, and now has 10 RBIs in his last 12 games.

Both starting pitchers, Nelson and Chicago’s Kyle Hendricks, wore short sleeves despite a game-time temperature of 40 degrees, which felt more like 34 because of the brisk 16-mph northerly wind. Some players tucked hand warmers into their pockets, some wore balaclavas, and many stayed close to the heaters in the dugout.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Costly error: Hill booted a slow-hit ball from Bryant to start the sixth, helping create what eventually turned into a big inning for the Cubs. It was the first error of the season for Hill, who has primarily been a second …

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