MILWAUKEE _ The Cubs were five outs away from taking the first step toward curing their road woes before a disaster struck at Miller Park.
Usually reliable reliever Brandon Kintzler walked Keston Huira and hit Eric Thames with one out in the eighth inning. Pedro Strop relieved Kintzler and promptly nailed pinch hitter Ryan Braun to load the bases.
That set up Matt Gamel's two-run single, vaulting the Brewers to a 3-2 victory. The loss, coupled with the Cardinals' 5-3 victory over the Astros, dropped the Cubs one game behind St. Louis in the National League Central.
The Cubs (55-48) fell to 19-30 away from Wrigley Field after dropping the first of six straight road games against the Brewers and Cardinals.
Despite a lineup shakeup, the Cubs offense continued to struggle against left-handers. Gio Gonzalez, who pitched 5 2/3 innings of two-hit ball in a 7-0 win over the Cubs at Wrigley on May 10, didn't allow a hit until Albert Almora Jr. reached on an infield single to start the sixth.
David Bote, who was 12 for 72 in his last 31 games, ripped a two-run home run _ his first since June 19 _ to give the Cubs a 2-0 lead in the sixth.
In an effort to solve Gonzalez and cure their problems against lefties, manager Joe Maddon put Willson Contreras in the leadoff spot for only the fourth time in his career while moving Kris Bryant into the No. 2 spot and dropping Javier Baez from second to cleanup.
But Gonzalez used the same game plan of attacking the outside of the zone against the Cubs' right-handed hitters, this time with more fastballs.
The Brewers provided Gonzalez with exceptional defensive help. Lorenzo Cain made a diving catch in center and threw to first to complete an inning-ending double play in the first. Jason Heyward hit a deep drive to right in the second, but Eric Thames made the catch near the top of the wall.
Gonzalez retired 13 consecutive batters after issuing a walk to Bryant with one out in the first. According to Christopher Kamka of NBC Sports Chicago, Gonzalez carried no-hitters into the sixth inning against the Cubs on two previous occasions _ Sept. 5, 2012 and May 12, 2013.
Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks, facing the Brewers for the 21st time, didn't allow a baserunner past first but was lifted for a pinch hitter in the sixth even after Bote's homer because he had thrown 90 pitches.
Hendricks received a lift from Ian Happ, who in his 2019 Cubs debut made a sliding catch near the left-field foul line for the final out of the first.
Hendricks was charged with two hits, but Cain was credited with an infield single that hit Bryant's glove at third. Bryant grabbed the ball but threw high and wide to first, pulling Anthony Rizzo off the bag.
In the sixth, Steve Cishek issued a walk and hit a batter to load the bases but retired Travis Shaw on a soft fly to center to end the threat.
Christian Yelich hit a single with two outs in the seventh to score Mat Gamel, but Rizzo made an exceptional stop on a hard-hit ball by Yasmani Grandal to end the rally.
