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Pitcher Corbin Burnes helps own cause at the plate as Milwaukee Brewers blank Chicago Cubs, 7-0

The Brewers’ Billy McKinney, right, slides safely past Chicago Cubs catcher Austin Romine during the sixth inning Wednesday in Milwaukee. (AP photo)

MILWAUKEE — Corbin Burnes continued his sizzling start to the season and finally got a little run support, thanks in part to his own surprising skill at the plate.

Burnes struck out 10 in six dominant innings and also delivered a bases-loaded single for his first two career RBIs as the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Chicago Cubs 7-0 on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old right-hander has knocked home twice as many runs (two) as he has allowed (one) through his first three outings of the year.

“That’s the best guy we’ve faced all year there today,” Cubs manager David Ross said.

Burnes (1-1) has 30 strikeouts while allowing only four hits and no walks in 18 1/3 innings. He gave up two hits Wednesday.

He was asked after the game if this is the most fun he’s ever had pitching.

“Yeah, I’d say so,” replied Burnes, who finished sixth in the NL Cy Young Award voting last year. “Last year was pretty awesome, too. I think it makes it a little bit sweeter this year having some fans in the stands and having the fans in the ballpark to enjoy it with us.”

This marked the franchise-record eighth straight game in which a Brewers starter worked at least five innings while allowing no more than one run.

Burnes’ performance helped the Brewers take two of three in the series and gain a measure of revenge one day after an emotionally charged 3-2 loss to the Cubs.

Milwaukee had given up a go-ahead, two-run homer to Willson Contreras on Tuesday after hitting him with a pitch earlier in the game. Cubs reliever Ryan Tepera threw a pitch behind Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff, who had thrown the pitch that hit Contreras.

Wednesday’s game saw no trouble in response. Milwaukee’s Keston Hiura was hit by a pitch in the fourth inning, without incident.

The Cubs had no answers for Burnes, who finally got a win to reward brilliant work. Burnes yielded just one hit in each of his first two starts, but the Brewers lost both.

Although Burnes carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning April 3 against Minnesota, the Brewers mustered just one hit and struck out 17 times in a 2-0 loss to the Twins. Burnes left with a 1-0 lead last Thursday at St. Louis, but the Cardinals rallied against Milwaukee’s bullpen to win 3-1.

Burnes got more help Wednesday.

Travis Shaw scored one of Milwaukee’s two runs in the first inning and delivered a solo shot in the third off Jake Arrieta (2-1), who struck out five and gave up three runs in five innings.

The Brewers broke the game open in the sixth as reliever Shelby Miller didn’t retire any of the five batters he faced. That four-run outburst in the sixth included Burnes’ bases-loaded single up the middle off Justin Steele.

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