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Garza solid as Cubs blank Brewers

Apr 12, 2012 - 11:33 PM Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Matt Garza tossed 8 2/3 shutout innings as the Chicago Cubs avoided a sweep with an 8-0 drubbing of the Milwaukee Brewers in the final test of a four-game series at Wrigley Field.

Garza (1-0) allowed just three hits and two walks while striking out nine for the Cubs, who are off to a 2-5 start this season.

"I just stayed under control and kept attacking the zone," Garza said. "When you have a five-run lead, you just have to go after them, you can't nitpick because they have some guys than can really hurt you."

Starlin Castro went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI, Alfonso Soriano knocked in a pair of runs, while Reed Johnson, Ian Stewart and Darwin Barney all drove in a run for Chicago.

Nyjer Morgan collected two of the three hits for the Brewers, who fell to 4-3 on the young season.

Zack Greinke (1-1) was shelled for all eight runs on nine hits and one walk while striking out five in 3 2/3 innings.

Chicago opened the scoring in a big way in the third, exploding for six runs.

Steve Clevenger started the offensive barrage with a leadoff double and scored on a single to left by Johnson for the first run of the inning. After Garza fanned, David DeJesus slapped a single to center and Barney followed with an RBI single up the middle.

Castro them ripped a single up the middle to score DeJesus to make it 3-0 Cubs with runners on first and second and one out. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch by Greinke, and Soriano drove them both in with a single to right. The Cubs then plated the final run of the inning after Soriano stole second and came around to touch home on a single to left by Stewart.

"I know some of the balls were up," Greinke said. "With two strikes, I didn't make very good pitches, but besides that, there's not much I thought I could have done differently."

Chicago added two more runs in the fourth when Clevenger again led off with a double. After Johnson and Garza struck out, DeJesus poked one to shortstop that could not be handled by Alex Gonzalez, allowing Clevenger to score.

Greinke then issued a free pass to Barney, which brought manager Ron Roenicke out of the dugout and Castro greeted new Brewers pitcher Manny Parra by slapping an RBI single to center field.

Shawn Camp recorded the final out of the game in the top of the ninth to finish off the win.

Game Notes

Greinke is 2-2 in four career starts against the Cubs has allowed 17 earned runs ...Milwaukee finished 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position while stranding five...The Cubs brought home 7-of-12 runners in scoring position while stranding only four...Chicago will begin a three-game series in St. Louis on Friday, while the Brewers will also start a three-game set in Atlanta on Friday.