Fowler's return sparks Cubs to 5-2 win
MILWAUKEE — Just call it the first day of the rest of the Chicago Cubs' season.
Fresh from an off-day Thursday, the Cubs opened a weekend series Friday night before a full house at Miller Park, aka, Wrigley Field North.
Manager Joe Maddon was able to welcome one new addition and welcome back another.
Left-handed reliever Mike Montgomery arrived after being traded to the Cubs from the Mariners on Wednesday.
Center fielder Dexter Fowler made a triumphant return from more than a month on the disabled list. He homered to lead off the game, hit a 2-run double in the second inning, walked in the third and singled in the ninth as the Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-2 before 42,243 fans. The Cubs improved to 58-37.
“I was just happy to be back around the boys,” Fowler said. “I came in, and I was just happy to see everybody. Everybody loved it. Everybody was happy for me. That's all you can ask for. It's like coming back home.”
Getting a fresh infusion of talent is important anytime, but especially as the Cubs approach the 100-game mark.
“It is big,” Maddon said. “Dex has been here, so he fits in. He understands it. He got it. And you saw how important he is to us. Let's get that going once again. A guy like Montgomery, it's good to get him into the flow of the group and get him out there and be successful with the group because part of that is the sense of belonging here.
“Of course he's going to want to do well coming into his new team and feel as though he's contributing. I just think if you get two months of a guy like that in advance of a playoff, it could really make a huge difference regarding how we learn how to use him. All those different things are factors.”
Fowler checked in with the athletic trainers on his arrival at Miller Park. Once he checked out OK, he found himself back in his familiar leadoff spot. He greeted Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson with a home run to center field to begin the ballgame. He highlighted the Cubs' 3-run second inning with a double down the left-field line, scoring a pair.
On the mound for the Cubs was Jason Hammel, who made news after his last start by saying he is on a potato-chip diet.
“I had a couple handfuls of potato chips,” said Hammel, who improved to 9-5.
The chips had their desired effect through the first three innings as he had a 4-0 lead. Ryan Braun crushed a solo homer to center field off Hammel in the fourth. Hernan Perez added an RBI double in the fifth.
Maddon lifted Hammel in favor of Carl Edwards Jr. in the sixth after Scooter Gennett opened with a double. Edwards retired the next three batters, striking out Jonathan Lucroy and Chris Carter to end the inning.
“I thought the turning point was C.J.,” Maddon said of Edwards. “Nobody out, and you've got Braun, Lucroy and Carter, and nobody scores. That was a big moment in the game. That's what you always talk about: the middle-inning closer. It's a classic example of the impact it can have on the game.”