Freddy Peralta pitched effectively into the sixth inning, Avisail García smacked a go-ahead two-run homer and the Brewers beat the Cubs 4-2 on Tuesday in the first game of a doubleheader at Wrigley Field.
Willy Adames and Lorenzo Cain also went deep for the Brewers, who are a major league-best 35-19 on the road.
Peralta (9-3) allowed two runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings. The All-Star right-hander struck out eight and walked two.
Devin Williams got the final three outs for his second save after loading the bases with one out in the seventh. Williams struck out Patrick Wisdom and Greg Deichmann to end it.
Frank Schwindel had an RBI double for the Cubs, who have dropped five straight.
Cubs rookie Justin Steele (2-1) allowed three runs on five hits in first innings during his first career start. The left-hander was 2-0 with a 2.03 ERA in 11 relief appearances for Chicago earlier in the season. Following a stint on the injured list with a right hamstring strain, the 26-year-old was sent to Triple-A Iowa to stretch out as a starter. He was recalled before the game.
Chicago took a 1-0 lead in the third on a bases-loaded walk by Wisdom.
Milwaukee quickly answered with three runs in the fourth. Adames led off with his 21st homer. After Eduardo Escobar doubled, García stroked a 457-foot blast to center to make it 3-1.
Cain added a two-out homer in the sixth off reliever Trevor Megill for a 4-1 lead. It was Cain’s fourth homer of the season and first since May 3.
Wisdom led off the sixth with an infield single. Peralta pounced off the mound toward the third-base line to field the ball, but his throw sailed past first and out of play for an error to allow Wisdom to take second. One out later, Schwindel doubled off the glove of third baseman Luis Urías to score Wisdom.
Brad Boxberger then replaced Peralta and got pinch-hitter David Bote and Alcántara to fly out to end the inning.
