MILWAUKEE _ The Cubs salvaged the finale of the three-game series in Milwaukee with a nail-biting 6-4 win at Miller Park.
Jose Quintana pitched 6 2/3 strong innings, Daniel Murphy homered and knocked out three hits, and the Cubs headed to Washington with a four-game lead over the Brewers and Cardinals in the National League Central.
Pedro Strip survived a scary ninth stranding two runners.
After Murphy's shot to left center snapped a scoreless tie in the fourth, the Cubs added three more runs in the inning to give Quintana some breathing room. Javier Baez scored from first on Anthony Rizzo's single to center, forcing Lorenzo Cain to make a wild throw to third. Ben Zobrist, who knocked out three hits, and Willson Contreras also drove in runs in the four-run inning.
Quintana endured a hairy bottom of the fourth, but managed to allow only one run while stranding three runners. He wound up going 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits and leaving with a 6-2 lead.
Jesse Chavez replaced Quintana with two outs in the seventh and gave up an infield hit and a two-run homer to Curtis Granderson, pulling the Brewers to within two.
The Cubs got through the eighth unscathed before Strop entered in the ninth. He walked Travis Shaw on four pitches and gave up a single to Christian Yelich.
After Eric Thames flied out to center, Cain grounded to third, where Kris Bryant stepped on the bag for the force and gunned to first for a potential game-ending double play.
Cain beat it out, but Strop fanned Granderson to end it.
