In another thrilling battle between two NL Central heavyweights, the Cubs were able to take advantage of Milwaukee’s wild bullpen.

Jake Fox took a bases-loaded walk in the 10th inning to give Chicago a 2-1 win over Milwaukee on Friday afternoon from Wrigley Field, which now pulls the Cubs just 1.5 games out of 1st place.

The Brewers’ first scoring chance of the game occured in the top of the 3rd after Corey Hart drew a 1-out walk from Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano.

2 batters later, Jeff Suppan laid down a sac bunt to advance Hart to 2nd base with 2 outs for Jason Kendall.

Kendall then grounded out to Ryan Theriot at shortstop to end the inning.

The Cubs then rallied in the bottom of the 3rd after Koyie Hill hit a 1-out double off Brewers starter Jeff Suppan.

Carlos Zambrano then grounded out to a charging J.J. Hardy at shortstop, but was able to advance Hill to 3rd on the play.

That presented an RBI opportunity for Alfonso Soriano, who flied out to Mike Cameron in centerfield on the first pitch to end the scoring chance.

Milwaukee got another rally going in the 4th after Craig Counsell hit a lead-off single to right field against Zambrano.

Ryan Braun then followed with a single to right, which put runners on 1st & 3rd with nobody out for Prince Fielder.

Fielder was then hit by a pitch from Zambrano, which loaded the bases for Casey McGeehee.

McGeehee then fouled out to Carlos Zambrano in foul territory by the Brewers’ on-deck circle for the 1st out.

Mike Cameron then fouled out to Derrek Lee in foul territory, which was unable to advance Counsell from 3rd base.

That left it up to Corey Hart, who drew a bases-loaded walk to force home Counsell & give the Brewers a 1-0 lead.

J.J. Hardy then flied out to Derrek Lee, who caught it on the pitcher’s mound to end the inning.

Chicago had a chance to tie it up in the bottom of the 4th after Derrek Lee was hit by a 1-out pitch from Suppan.

Milton Bradley then singled past J.J. Hardy at shortstop & into left field, which put runners on 1st & 3rd with just 1 out for Kosuke Fukudome.

Fukudome then hit into an inning-ending doubleplay.

The Cubs then finally tied it in the 5th after Jake Fox was hit by a pitch from Suppan, who didn’t get ejected from the game despite a previous warning from home plate umpire Bill Welke.

Mike Fontenot then doubled past a leaping Ryan Braun in left field, which put runners on 2nd & 3rd with nobody out for Koyie Hill.

Hill then grounded out to Prince Fielder at 1st base, as he was unable to advance Fox home on the play.

Carlos Zambrano then helped his own cause with an RBI single to score Fox from 3rd base & tie it 1-1.

Alfonso Soriano then flied out to Prince Fielder in foul territory at 1st base, which left it up to Ryan Theriot.

Theriot flied out to Mike Cameron in center field to end the inning.

Milwaukee threatened to take the lead in the 6th after Prince Fielder drew a lead-off walk from Zambrano.

Casey McGeehee then singled to left, which put runners on 1st & 2nd with nobody out for Mike Cameron.

Cameron & Corey Hart then both struck out, which left it up to J.J. Hardy.

Hardy then grounded out to Ryan Theriot at shortstop to end the scoring chance.

The Brewers had yet another chance in the 7th after Jeff Suppan hit a lead-off single against Zambrano.

Jason Kendall then reached safely on an error by Jake Fox at 3rd base, which put runners on 1st & 2nd with nobody out for Craig Counsell.

Counsell then struck out before Ryan Braun flied out to Milton Bradley in right field, which left it up to Prince Fielder.

Fielder then singled past a diving Fontenot at 2nd base & into center field, but Kosuke Fukudome fired to Koyie Hill in time at home plate to nail Suppan & end the inning.

Chicago then had a chance to go ahead in the 8th after Ryan Theriot hit a 1-out single against Milwaukee reliver Carlos Villanueva.

Theriot then stole 2nd during Derrek Lee’s at-bat, who struck out swinging.

Milton Bradley then walked, which put runners on 1st & 2nd with 2 outs for Jeff Baker.

Baker then made his Cub debut against Brewers reliever Mitch Stetter & grounded out to Craig Counsell at 2nd base to end the scoring chance.

Milwaukee had another chance in the top of the 9th thanks to a dropped fly ball by Milton Bradley in right field, which allowed Jason Kendall to reach 2nd base on the play.

That brought up an RBI opportunity for Craig Counsell, who got hit in the ankle with a pitch despite TV replays showing Koyie Hill cleanly catching it with his mitt.  This put runners on 1st & 2nd with 2 outs for Ryan Braun, who faced Cub closer Kevin Gregg.

Gregg won the battle, as he got Braun to hit an infield flyout to Ryan Theriot at shortstop to end the inning.

Chicago then tried to start up a game-winning rally in the bottom of the 9th after Mike Fontenot & Koyie Hill hit back-to-back 1-out singles off Stetter.

Pinch-hitter Sam Fuld then lined out sharply to a leaping J.J. Hardy to shortstop, who threw to 2nd base in time to double up Fontenot & end the inning.

Chicago then revved up a game-winning rally in the 10th after Ryan Theriot hit a 1-out single off Craig Counsell & into right field against Milwaukee reliever Mike DiFelice.

DiFelice then threw a wild pitch during Derrek Lee’s at-bat, which allowed Theriot to take 2nd base. Lee then flied out to Jody Gerut in right field, but was able to advance Theriot to 3rd for Milton Bradley.

Bradley was then intentionally walked, which put runners on 1st & 3rd with 2 outs for Geovany Soto.

Bradley then took 2nd base during Soto’s at-bat, who walked to load the bases for Jake Fox.

Fox didn’t even have to swing the bat to win it, as his bases-loaded walk forced home Theriot from 3rd to give Chicago the 2-1 victory.

Kevin Gregg (3-2) gets the win for the Cubs after pitching 2 scoreless innings in relief, which included a Ryan Braun infield flyout with 2 outs & 2 men on in the 9th.

Mike DiFelice (4-1) takes the loss for Milwaukee after allowing 2 walks, which included Jake Fox’s bases-loaded pass in the 10th which ended the game.

Game 3 of this big weekend series will resume on Saturday afternoon at 12:05 PM cst from Wrigley Field, as Brewers righthander Braden Looper (6-4, 4.90) will face off against Cubs righthander Rich Harden (5-4, 4.57).

Harden is coming off perhaps his best start of the season, as he allowed just 1 run on 9 hits while striking out nine during his June 29th win over Pittsburgh.

Rich is 1-0 in 3 career starts against Milwaukee with a 1.50 ERA.

Looper has struggled away from Miller Park this season, as he is 2-3 in 6 road starts with a 6.67 ERA.

Signing off for now,

Matt T for Cubshub.com