MILWAUKEE _ The Cubs are running out of chances to catch the Cardinals in the National League Central after their loss Sunday.
Jon Lester, who was moved up in the rotation by a day because of his past success against the Brewers, was tagged for eight runs in 5 1/3 innings of an 8-5 loss that dropped the Cubs to 4 { games out of first place with 20 games left.
The 4 {-game margin equals their largest deficit of the season, which they last saw on April 13. The Cubs, who lost three of four games to the Brewers in this series, maintained their 1 {-game lead over the Diamondbacks for the second NL wild-card berth.
Lester (12-10), who had a 2.10 ERA in 10 career starts against the Brewers, allowed a three-run home run to Tyler Austin during a five-run fourth inning. Austin's shot capped a five-run rally that wiped out a 3-1 lead.
This marked the fifth time this season Lester had surrendered at least six runs.
The Cubs, playing without shortstop Javier Baez (broken left thumb) and third baseman Kris Bryant (right knee soreness), scored their runs in the third.
Addison Russell was drilled in the helmet by a pitch from Adrian Houser and briefly stayed in the game. Russell, starting in place of Baez for the sixth consecutive game, stole second base and scored the tying run on a single by David Bote and throwing error by right fielder Christian Yelich.
Lester and Ben Zobrist followed with RBI doubles.
But the Cubs mustered only two more hits until Jason Heyward ripped a two-run blast in the ninth for his first home run since Aug. 18.
Left-hander Danny Hultzen, making his major league debut after becoming the second overall pick in the 2011 draft but missing the 2014 and 2017 seasons due to arm surgeries, struck out three during a scoreless seventh.
The Cubs open a four-game series Monday night against the Padres at Petco Park.
