Aramis Ramirez hit a three-run homer in a six-run sixth inning as the Chicago Cubs avoided a sweep with a 15-3 demolition of the Milwaukee Brewers in the finale of a three-game set on Wednesday.
Geovany Soto and Blake DeWitt each added three-run homers and Tyler Colvin chipped in a solo shot for the Cubs, who snapped a seven-game slide.
Ryan Dempster (9-8) started for the Cubs and picked up the win, allowing three unearned runs on three hits and three walks in six innings while striking out five.
The Brewers looked primed for the sweep when they took a 3-1 lead in the fifth, but Chicago’s dormant offense, which managed a total of four runs in the first two games of the series, woke up in the sixth. Soto made it 3-2 with a one-out single and DeWitt and Jeff Baker added two-out hits to put the Cubs up, 4-3.
Milwaukee then lifted starter Manny Parra (3-9) in favor of Todd Coffey, who promptly gave up a three-run shot to the pinch-hitter Ramirez, batting in the pitcher’s spot. Soto tacked on his blast in the next frame to put in out of reach.
Soto singled in another run and DeWitt launched his blast in a five-run eighth.
Milwaukee | Chi. Cubs | |
Manny Parra | Player | Ryan Dempster |
Loss | W/L | Win |
5.2 | IP | 6.0 |
8 | Strikeouts | 5 |
6 | Hits | 3 |
9.53 | ERA | 0.00 |
Milwaukee | Chi. Cubs | |
Jim Edmonds | Player | Starlin Castro |
2 | Hits | 4 |
0 | RBI | 0 |
0 | HR | 0 |
3 | TB | 7 |
.667 | Avg | .800 |