MILWAUKEE (AP) — After getting hit time and time again by Milwaukee Brewers pitchers, Willson Contreras finally hit back.
Contreras delivered a two-run homer in the eighth inning and enjoyed his trip around the bases as the Chicago Cubs rallied past Milwaukee 3-2 Tuesday night, ending a three-game skid and snapping the Brewers’ three-game winning streak.
Contreras’ blast came after he was hit by a pitch from a Brewer for the third time this season.
“Tonight we sent a message,” Contreras said. “They picked the wrong guy to throw at.”
Contreras hit a towering drive to left-center off Brent Suter (0-1). The long drive delighted the large contingent of Cubs fans at Milwaukee’s American Family Field.
After leaving the batter’s box, Contreras turned himself around and flipped his bat back toward the Cubs dugout before beginning his trot.
He acknowledged that getting hit by pitches so often by one team had angered him. He talked about it with Brewers catcher and good friend Omar Narváez.
“I told him, ‘I know you guys are not trying to hit me, but bro, that’s something that would frustrate any player and I’m trying to take care of myself,”’ Contreras said.
Contreras put his finger to his lips several times as he rounded the bases, as if to hush Milwaukee fans. He walked the last couple of steps to the plate.
“That’s got to feel so good for him,” Cubs manager David Ross said. “He almost ripped my hand off when he high-fived me in the dugout.”
Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff hit Contreras in the fourth inning. Contreras also was hit by pitches from Milwaukee’s Devin Williams and Brad Boxberger during the Cubs-Brewers series at Wrigley Field.
“I think that’s the nature of how you have to pitch him and what he covers,” Brewers manager Craig…
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