CHICAGO _ Closer Craig Kimbrel was called in to pitch in a non-save situation Sunday to keep the game close enough for the Cubs in the bottom of the ninth.
Kimbrel instead put the game out of reach, serving up a monstrous three-run home run to Christian Yelich to center field with two outs and two strikes in the ninth, giving the Brewers breathing room in a 4-0 win over the Cubs.
The Cubs fell 3 { games behind the first-place Cardinals, who beat the Reds in the first game of a day-night doubleheader.
The Brewers pulled to within three games of the Cubs for the second wild-card spot. The Diamondbacks, who played a late-afternoon game against the Dodgers, and the Phillies, who play Sunday night against the Mets, were also three behind the Cubs after the loss.
Gio Gonzalez and seven Brewers relievers shut out the Cubs on four hits, taking the series and dealing the Cubs their fifth loss in their last six home games at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs scratched Yu Darvish from his scheduled start with right forearm tightness and instead sent Tyler Chatwood to the mound to face Gonzalez.
Chatwood suffered through a shaky first, walking the first two hitters and loading the bases with one out before striking out Eric Thames and Ben Gamel to escape the jam.
The Brewers took the lead off Chatwood in the fourth on an RBI groundout by Orlando Arcia, and he lasted 3 2/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits with seven strikeouts and four walks.
Javier Baez was removed from the game in the seventh. He appeared to hurt himself sliding headfirst into second base during a successful steal in the third but stayed in the game three more innings and walked in his next plate appearance.
The Cubs threatened in the sixth, walking the bases loaded with one out against reliever Alex Claudio. But pinch-hitter Jason Heyward hit into a force play at third on a bunt, and Addison Russell grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Kris Bryant led off the eighth with a single and advanced on a wild pitch. But Junior Guerro struck out Victor Caratini and Drew Pomeranz caught Anthony Rizzo looking and fanned Heyward on three pitches.
Kimbrel put two on in the ninth with a walk and a single before Yelich took a 3-2 knuckle-curve and cranked it into the batter's eye in center field.
Ben Zobrist, who returned from his long absence Sunday, was left stranded in the on-deck circle when the game ended.
