MILWAUKEE _ A frustrating formula has contaminated the Cubs' season.
They have a penchant for getting an early lead, only to see the offense stagnate and the bullpen implode.
For the second consecutive game, the Cubs followed that maddening script in a 5-3 loss to the Brewers in 10 innings Saturday night at Miller Park. The result kept the Cubs a game out of first place in the National League Central and pulled the Brewers into a virtual tie for second place behind the Cardinals.
Closer Craig Kimbrel allowed a tying home run to 2018 NL Most Valuable Player Christian Yelich to start the bottom of the 10th, then walked pinch-hitter Tyler Saladino. Rookie sensation Keston Hiura followed with a two-run, game-winning home run to right field for the Brewers' first walk-off home run this season.
The Cubs wasted clutch performances from reliever Rowan Wick, who stranded the winning run in scoring position in the eighth and ninth, and Albert Almora Jr., who hit a go-ahead solo homer off Freddy Peralta to start the 10th.
Wick extended his overall scoreless streak to 17 consecutive outings; the first 13 came with Triple-A Iowa.
Jon Lester's seven scoreless innings weren't enough as the bullpen suffered its second consecutive late-inning meltdown against the Brewers and its third in five games.
Steve Cishek lasted only three pitches, as he surrendered a home run to pinch-hitter Mat Gamel that cut the Cubs' lead to 2-1 and a double by Lorenzo Cain off the center-field wall.
Newcomer Derek Holland retired Yelich on a fly to center, but Almora's footing gave out on the newly sodded outfield and enabled Cain to advance to third.
With two out, Hiura poked a double down the right-field line off Tyler Chatwood to tie the score and extend his hitting streak to 15 games.
Wick relieved Chatwood and struck out pinch-hitter Eric Thames on a 97-mph high fastball.
Lester showed no ill effects from a fever that caused him to be scratched from Wednesday's start against the Giants. Lester, making his 400th career start, pitched four-hit ball while striking out a season-high nine.
Lester survived a close call with two outs in the sixth, when Hiura ripped a towering drive down the left-field line. Third-base umpire Adrian Johnson signaled home run, and the Cubs immediately protested, with Lester throwing his hands in the air.
The umpires gathered and correctly overruled the home run, which would have tied the score 2-2. Lester finished the at-bat by striking out Hiura.
Shortstop Javier Baez provided timely defensive help for Lester. In the second, the shortstop made a barehanded catch of a flip to second by Robel Garcia and fired to first to complete a double play on Yelich.
In the fifth, Baez ranged to his right and made a long, strong throw to retire Manny Pina.
Baez, however, was furious after hitting a feeble grounder to first in the sixth and slammed his bat and helmet when he returned to the dugout.
To that point, Anthony Rizzo provided a cushion for Lester by smacking a two-run home run in the third. The homer was Rizzo's second hit in 23 career at-bats against Brewers starter Chase Anderson.
The Cubs didn't muster a base runner from when Jason Heyward led off the fourth with a single until Rizzo drew a walk to start the ninth but was left stranded.
