Chase is on as Crew clicks in all facets

MILWAUKEE — When did Chase Anderson realize he was working on something special?

“I would say probably when the guys are 10 feet away from you and they’re not getting any closer,” the Brewers right-hander said, cracking a smile. “So you know something’s going on.”

That something was a perfect game into the sixth inning, a no-hitter into the eighth and a shutout bid into the ninth of what became a 4-2 Brewers win over the Cubs on Tuesday at Miller Park. Juan Nieves’ gem in Baltimore on April 15, 1987, still stands as the only no-hitter in franchise history, but Anderson’s consolation prize was a starring role in the Brewers’ most complete victory this season.

They pitched, with Anderson working a career-high 8 2/3 innings and allowing three Cubs hits: Ben Zobrist’s double leading off the eighth, and solo home runs for Jason Heyward and Kris Bryant with two outs in the ninth.

They hit, with Jonathan Lucroy’s sixth home run putting the Brewers on the board before three crucial insurance runs in the sixth.

And they fielded, with center fielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis’ leaping catch in the first inning leading the highlight reel.

When did Lucroy start thinking no-hitter?

“After that seventh inning right there, I was like, all right, we have to lock it in,” Lucroy said. “I was so locked on I threw the ball around [the horn] with three outs.”

Lucroy was temporarily unaware that …

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