MILWAUKEE _ Chicago Cubs right-hander Jason Hammel has become accustomed to having his way with the Milwaukee Brewers, as evidenced by his career record of 10-1 with a 2.50 earned run average against them entering the game Tuesday night at Miller Park.
But Hammel faced seven hitters in the first inning before finally recording his initial out, which told you how his evening was going to go.
Using five first-inning runs as a springboard, the Brewers enjoyed a rare banner night against Hammel and the Cubs, rolling to a 12-5 victory.
The lopsided decision allowed the Brewers, who totaled 16 hits, to snap a six-game losing streak against the Cubs, who nevertheless are 10-4 against Milwaukee this season and 22-5 in the last 27 meetings.
Jonathan Villar got it going with a leadoff home run to left, matching the one hit by Chicago's Anthony Rizzo with two outs in the top of the inning. Kirk Nieuwenhuis foiled an infield shift with a bunt hit to the left side, moved up on a wild pitch and scored on Ryan Braun's single to center.
A hit-and-run single to left by Hernan Perez left runners on the corners, and Chris Carter walked on four pitches to load the bases. Doming Santana's single to left scored two runs and Orlando Arcia caromed a hard grounder off third baseman Tommy La Stella for another hit.
When Martin Maldonado smacked a sacrifice fly to left to make it 5-1, Hammel finally had his first out of the game.
Miguel Montero got one of those runs back for the Cubs by driving an opposite-field homer to left with two down in the second inning, his sixth of the season.
Braun took his shot at an opposite-field homer in the bottom of the inning, sending a drive to right. But Jason Heyward raced back and made a leaping catch in front of the wall, likely snatching away a run.
Brewers starter Wily Peralta helped his cause in the bottom of the fourth, leading off with a double to right-center. Villar followed with a bunt hit, sending Peralta to third. Villar then stole second base and when the throw skipped into center field, Peralta scored to make it 6-2.
Hammel finally exited in the sixth, but not before the Brewers scored three more runs to make it a 9-2 game. After Villar tripled with two down and Nieuwenhuis worked a nine-pitch walk, Braun sent a drive into the picnic area in right for a three-run homer.
Arcia's run-scoring single in the seventh boosted the Brewers' lead to 10-2.
Peralta settled down in the middle innings, retiring 11 consecutive hitters before La Stella doubled to lead off the seventh. Rizzo finally ended Peralta's night with a two-run blast off the right-field foul pole in the eighth inning, his seventh career homer off the Brewers' starter.
Perez boosted the Brewers' lead to 12-4 with a two-run single in the eighth.
