MILWAUKEE _ Javier Baez added another dramatic moment to his memorable season, and Anthony Rizzo hit a go-ahead two-run home run for the Cubs in the eighth inning. But the Brewers made the last big move Monday afternoon at Miller Park, rallying in the bottom of the ninth for a 4-3 win that cut the Cubs' lead to four games in the National League Central.
Cubs reliever Steve Cishek walked Erik Kratz and hit Orlando Arcia and Lorenzo Cain to load the bases. Christian Yelich hit a sharp grounder to third, and Kris Bryant elected to try for a third-to-first double play instead of throwing home for a force play.
Yelich beat Bryant's throw to first, allowing pinch-runner Keon Broxton to score the winning run.
In the eighth, after Rizzo's blast put the Cubs ahead 3-2, Carl Edwards Jr. walked Mike Moustakas on four pitches with the bases loaded and two outs to force in the tying run.
With the count 2-0 on Moustakas, Cubs manager Joe Maddon was ejected by home-plate umpire Gabe Morales for arguing the strike zone. After Moustakas walked, Edwards was ejected too, for screaming at Morales as the pitcher walked off the field after he was pulled from the game.
Edwards allowed two singles to open the inning, then struck out Yelich and Jesus Aguilar. Edwards threw a high curveball to Ryan Braun on a 3-2 count. Braun took the pitch for Ball 4, but Edwards thought it should have been an inning-ending Strike 3.
The Cubs held a 1-0 lead until the fifth, when Arcia hit a single with one out and moved to second when Cole Hamels was called for a balk.
Cain followed with an RBI single, and he advanced to second on left fielder Kyle Schwarber's throw home. Yelich followed with the go-ahead single.
The Brewers held the lead until Rizzo smacked a two-run homer to right-center field off Josh Hader, who hadn't allowed a homer to a left-handed hitter in 156 plate appearances. Rizzo's homer came on Hader's 35th and final pitch of his 22/3 innings.
The Cubs struck first in the first. Baez hit a soft single off Zach Davies, who made his first start since May 29 after recovering from rotator cuff inflammation.
Baez sprinted around second on Rizzo's single to center, and center fielder Cain lost grip of the ball after fielding it cleanly.
Third-base coach Brian Butterfield waved Baez around third, and Baez scored on a head-first slide after catcher Erik Kratz caught the wide relay throw from second baseman Jonathan Schoop.
Cubs shortstop Addison Russell returned to the lineup and hit a single in the fourth. Russell hadn't started a game since Aug. 18 because of right shoulder inflammation and a swollen left middle finger.
