MILWAUKEE -AP- Jason Heyward homered in the 11th inning, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers 2-1 on Saturday night to strengthen their hold on first place in the NL Central.Kris Bryant had three hits, including a tying RBI single in the seventh inning, as the Cubs improved to 12-3 since the All-Star break. Kyle Hendricks pitched five innings of one-run ball in his second start since coming off the disabled list after being sidelined by pain in the middle finger of his right hand.Second-place Milwaukee pulled within a half-game of Chicago with a 2-1 victory in the series opener Friday night. But the Cubs responded with their fourth win in five games overall.Heyward drove a 1-1 slider from Jared Hughes (3-3) over the wall in right-center for his eighth homer with one out in the 11th.
All-Star closer Wade Davis got three outs for his 21st save in 21 chances, striking out pinch hitter Jonathan Villar with a runner on first for the final out. Mike Montgomery (3-6) worked the 10th for the win, wiggling out of a jam by retiring Hernan Perez on a fly ball to left with two runners on base.Six Cubs relievers combined for six innings of one-hit ball.Milwaukee grabbed the lead when Eric Thames singled and scored on Ryan Braun's double in the first. But Chicago responded with Bryant's two-out RBI single in the seventh against Jacob Barnes.Brewers right-hander Junior Guerra was pulled after he labored through three scoreless innings. He allowed one hit, but walked four.The Cubs loaded the bases with two outs in the third on two walks and an error, but Guerra escaped thanks to a diving catch by center fielder Lewis Brinson.Josh Hader followed Guerra with three sparkling innings, striking out six and allowing just one hit. The Brewers finished with 17 strikeouts.
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