CHICAGO – Anthony Rizzo, Joc Pederson and Nico Hoerner each hit two hits and produced one run to lead the Chicago Cubs to an 8-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night that ended an 11-game losing streak.
The Cubs took an early five-run lead off Zack Wheeler and kept up the offensive pace to stem their worst string of losses since 12 mishaps in May 2012. Chicago had not known victory since Zach Davies and three relievers combined to leave. no hitter to the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 24.
Patrick Wisdom added a two-touchdown double during a three-run attack in the sixth inning for Chicago. Wisdom came in to replace third baseman Kris Bryant, who left the game in the fourth inning with a sore hamstring in his right leg.
Alec Mills (4-2) allowed three runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings after Philadelphia had punished Chicago pitchers with 28 touchdowns in the first two games of the series.
Mills didn’t allow a run until Bryce Harper hit an RBI double and Andrew McCutchen followed with a two-run homer in the sixth inning. McCutchen hit his second home run in the past two games.
Wheeler (6-5) allowed seven runs, four earned, and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander came into the game in good time after failing to concede a score in his last two starts and just three runs in his last five appearances, all against Washington on June 22.
For the Cubs, Willson Contreras 4-1 with an RBI; Rafael Ortega 4-1 with an RBI. The Dominican Sergio Alcántara 4-0.
For the Phillies, Jean Segura 4-0. Venezuelan Ronald Torreyes 1-0.
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