Back-to-back HRs in 9th unable to lift Cubs

MILWAUKEE — Chase Anderson took a perfect game into the sixth inning, a no-hitter into the eighth before settling for his best start in a Brewers uniform, pitching to within one strike of a shutout in Milwaukee’s 4-2 win over the Cubs on Tuesday night at Miller Park.

Boosted by a series of defensive gems and Jonathan Lucroy’s fourth-inning solo home run, Anderson retired the Cubs’ first 16 hitters before walking catcher Miguel Montero with one out in the sixth. Anderson bounced back with strikeouts of Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks and leadoff hitter Dexter Fowler to keep the no-hit bid alive, and Brewers batters responded by scoring three runs in the bottom of the inning to chase Hendricks from the game.

Anderson remained on course with a perfect seventh, but Cubs second baseman Ben Zobrist pounced on a fastball leading off the eighth and drove a double to the base of the wall in center field for Chicago’s first hit. Again, Anderson escaped without allowing a run, and when he took the mound for the start of the ninth inning, he became the first Brewers starter to do so this season.

He retired the first two batters of the inning and had Jason Heyward in an 0-2 count before Heyward homered to right field. Kris Bryant followed two pitches later with another solo homer to right, ending Anderson’s outing. Jeremy Jeffress recorded the final out for his 11th save.

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