Brewers beat Cubs in Craig Counsell's return to Milwaukee

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Willy Adames #27 of the Milwaukee Brewers is doused following a game against the Chicago Cubs at American Family Field on May 27, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

MILWAUKEE - Willy Adames hit a three-run homer during Milwaukee's five-run eighth inning, and the Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs 5-1 on Monday in Craig Counsell’s return to American Family Field.

Counsell, the winningest manager in Brewers history, left Milwaukee after last season when the Cubs signed him to a five-year contract worth over $40 million. He already had managed against his former team when the Cubs took two of three from the Brewers at Wrigley Field from May 3-5.

The Brewers welcomed Counsell back with a brief thank-you video message on the scoreboard that was accompanied by a chorus of boos from Brewers fans in the sellout crowd of 41,882. Counsell was booed every time he left the dugout.

The Cubs lost their fifth straight and wasted a brilliant performance from Justin Steele, who spent most of the day in a pitchers’ duel with Robert Gasser. The Cubs didn't arrive in Milwaukee until early Monday morning following a 4-3 loss at St. Louis in a rain-delayed game Sunday night.

The NL Central-leading Brewers lead the Cubs by 4½ games.

Steele pitched seven innings before the Brewers broke through against Mark Leiter Jr. (1-3) and Hayden Wesneski in the eighth. Milwaukee's Bryan Hudson (3-0) worked his way out of a jam in the seventh and worked a scoreless eighth for the win.

Cubs starting pitchers have combined to throw 25 1/3 shutout innings in four games against the Brewers this season. Milwaukee went scoreless against Wesneski, Jameson Taillon and Javier Assad at Wrigley Field earlier this month.

But the Brewers have feasted on the Cubs’ bullpen. They did it again on Monday.

Sal Frelick started the eighth with a pinch-hit single, and Brice Turang walked against Leiter. William Contreras then hit a potential double-play grounder that went off the glove of third baseman Nick Madrigal and headed into left field, with Frelick scoring on the error.

After Leiter struck out Christian Yelich, Adames greeted Wesneski with a 427-foot drive over the center-field wall on a 3-0 sinker. Jackson Chourio capped the rally with a two-out double that brought home Joey Ortiz.

Seiya Suzuki walked and Cody Bellinger singled off Hoby Milner to start the ninth. After Christopher Morel struck out looking, Patrick Wisdom hit a sacrifice fly for the Cubs.

The game ended with Dansby Swanson flying out to the warning track in left.

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Gasser struck out seven and walked none in six innings. The rookie left-hander has a 1.96 ERA through his first four career starts.

After allowing one hit in the first six innings, Gasser allowed consecutive singles to Suzuki and Bellinger to open the seventh.

Hudson then struck out Morel and retired Wisdom on a broken-bat popup before Swanson struck out looking to end the threat.