In 15 innings, Cubs beat Brewers 2-1

CHICAGO — Willson Contreras homered in the 15th inning to give the Chicago Cubs a 2-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.

Contreras turned on a 1-2 pitch from Burch Smith (0-1), sending a long shot to left field that gave Chicago its 11th win in 13 games. He spun and flipped his bat toward the Cubs' dugout as the ball sailed toward the bleachers and was mobbed by teammates when he crossed the plate.

Chicago moved back ahead of the Brewers for the NL Central lead after falling into a virtual tie with Friday's 7-0 loss. Milwaukee had its season-high seven-game win streak snapped.

Tyler Chatwood (2-0) struck out seven in four innings to cap a strong effort by the bullpen after Cole Hamels worked seven solid innings.

Hamels gave up a run and three hits in his fourth straight no-decision. Seven relievers combined to give up one hit the rest of the way.

Milwaukee's Zach Davies held Chicago to one run and six hits in 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander lowered his ERA to 1.54 through eight starts. But the Brewers, who won an 18-inning marathon against the New York Mets one week earlier, couldn't push ahead in their longest game ever against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Both teams scored in the fifth, with Hernán Perez hitting a solo homer off Hamels and Albert Almora Jr. tying it in the bottom half with an RBI double.

TRANSACTIONS

The Cubs activated left-handed reliever Xavier Cedeño from the 10-day injured list and placed right-hander Allen Webster on it because of an inflamed nerve in his pitching arm.

Signed in February, Cedeño had been sidelined since spring training because of inflammation in his left wrist. The 32-year-old went a combined 2-0 with a 2.43 ERA in 48 appearances with the Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee last season.

Webster has one save and a 4.91 ERA in 12 relief outings this season.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Brewers: Milwaukee scratched surging slugger Ryan Braun from the lineup because of a sore left hamstring, though he struck out as a pinch-hitter in the 12th. The 2011 NL MVP had been on a tear, going 13 for 28 over his previous seven games, and he hit his 38th career homer against Chicago on Friday. ... RHP Chase Anderson (right middle finger laceration) is scheduled to start Monday for Triple-A San Antonio.

Cubs: C Victor Caratini will continue his rehabilitation from surgery to repair a broken bone in his left hand with Triple-A Iowa. Caratini began a rehab assignment Monday with Class A South Bend. ... Manager Joe Maddon said he hopes to start INF Daniel Descalso (sore left ankle) on Sunday. Descalso has been limited to pinch-hitting since he was hurt running the bases against St. Louis on May 4.

UP NEXT

Brewers: RHP Jhoulys Chacin (3-3, 5.03 ERA) makes his first start at Wrigley Field since last year's NL Central tiebreaker, when he dominated in a 3-1 victory that gave Milwaukee its first division title since 2011.

Cubs: LHP Jon Lester (2-1, 1.41) tries to extend his string of dominant starts. The five-time All-Star has allowed three runs — one earned — over 18 innings in three appearances since returning from a strained left hamstring.