Levine: Slumping Cubs Can't Get By Brewers

By Bruce Levine--

MILWAUKEE (CBS) -- On Thursday afternoon, the Cubs finally supplied their first runs for a starting pitcher in four games, but they still lost the rubber game of a three-game series to the Brewers, 5-3.

Chicago right-hander Jason Hammel took his first loss of the season. The Cubs hadn't pushed a run across the plate whilee Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks and John Lackey had been on the mound in the previous three games, and runs in general had been tough to come by. The Cubs have plated just eight runs in the past four games, and they're 3-5 in their past eight games.

Dexter Fowler led off the game with a home run off of Brewers right-hander Junior Guerra. The second inning produced another run for Hammel to work with, as Jorge Soler doubled and scored on Miguel Montero's single to left field. The Brewers countered with four unanswered runs.

The previously unbeaten Hammel gave up long home runs to Chris Carter and Kirk Nieuwenhuis, creating a deficit the Cubs couldn't overcome.

Before the sudden offensive drought, the Cubs were leading the National League in runs scored, averaging 6.1 per game. The batting woes continued for most of the lineup Thursday, as Chicago had only five hits and three runs through seven innings against Guerra.

Hammel left after six innings, allowing four runs. The Cubs have lost the majority of their games this season to sub .500 teams. The Cardinals and Pirates are the only teams above .500 to beat the Cubs in the first quarter of the season.

"That is something we have talked about in the past," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of losses to lower-tier teams. "I don't want to say Milwaukee is not a better team, because they have been playing well. That has always been a concern of mine. When you get into moments like this, (teams you can beat) that you don't have that same mental edge going on. The Rockies got us. The Padres got us. Now these guys got us. That is something that has to go away. Again, at this particular juncture of the season, it's still early. Let's give the Brewers credit."

For Hammel, his first loss came after winning five of his seven outings.

"I felt pretty good out there," he said. "Home runs on hanging sliders. Hanging sliders leave the yard. That is just about it. They pitched the ball very well. It was a well-played series."

The Cubs hitters struck out struck out 15 times Thursday.

Fowler had a chance to hit another ball out of the yard and be the hero in the ninth inning, but on a 3-2 count,  count, he flied out to deep right center for the second out of the inning. With the tying runs on base, Jason Heyward struck out to end the game.

"I didn't think I got it," Fowler said. "i hit that one off of the end of the bat. You barrel up some balls. They get caught and you just got to move on."

Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.