Cahill, bullpen combine on 3-hitter, Cubs beat Brewers 4-0

CHICAGO (AP) Trevor Cahill came off the disabled list to throw five innings of two-hit ball in his first start in nearly 16 months, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-0 Tuesday in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.

Mike Montgomery followed with two innings, Hector Rondon worked the eighth and Joe Smith walked two in the ninth before Aroldis Chapman got two outs to close the three-hitter.

Cahill (2-3) also drove in a run with a safety squeeze bunt, and the Cubs added runs on a wild pitch and Addison Russell's sacrifice fly off Matt Garza (4-5).

Cahill allowed two walks and struck out Manny Pina with a runner on third to end the fifth.

Chapman hit 103 mph while striking out two for his fifth save with the Cubs, who ended a two-game skid.

Chicago's Jason Hammel (12-5) was to face fellow Chase Anderson (7-10) in the second game.

Cahill was a 2010 All-Star before consecutive 200-inning seasons with Oakland. But the right-hander struggled in Arizona, started three games for Atlanta in April last year, moved to the bullpen and was released before signing with Chicago.

He was a reliever until going on the disabled list with right knee tendinitis. But he was stretched out in a rehab assignment and had good command in his first big league appearance since July 9.

Unlike the previous two games, the Chicago bullpen held the lead.

Garza allowed a run in a 28-pitch first inning and his run-scorong wild pitch in the third made it 2-0. Cahill fourth successfully bunted a 3-2 pitch in the fourth, and first baseman Chris Carter's flip home wasn't in time to get a sliding Chris Coghlan.

Garza allowed five hits in five innings for the Brewers, who have lost six of jine, Tyler Cravy, Milwaukee's 26th player, threw two scoreless innings.

Chris Coghlan hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth off Damien Magnifico, who made his major league debut.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Brewers: Struggling RHP Michael Blazek went on the 15-day disabled list with a right forearm strain. ''He was really just fatigued,'' manager Craig Counsell said. ''But because of the scheduling situation and because he's had some elbow soreness this season, we thought it was best to be safe.'' Magnifico was called up from Triple-A Colorado Springs.

Cubs: Manager Joe Maddon said RHP John Lackey (shoulder stiffness) could have his next start pushed back. . RHP Pedro Strop (knee surgery) was off crutches. He's expected to miss at least a month.

NO BRAUN

Brewers slugger Ryan Braun, who homered twice and drove in six runs Sunday, wasn't in the Game 1 lineup. He flied out as a pinch-hitter in the eighth.

PAPBELBON?

Maddon said he hasn't been involved in andy discussions about signing former Nationals closer Jonathan Pabelbon, who was released Saturday by Washington.

''I'm not saying it can't happen,'' Maddon said, ''but for right now there is nothing happening.''

LONG DAY

Maddon called day-night doubleheaders ''awful.'' It's even worse in Wrigley Field's cramped visiting clubhouse.

''We're on top of each other, that's for sure,'' Brewers manager Craig Counsell said.

UP NEXT

Cubs RHP Jon Lester (12-4, 2.93) faces RHP Jimmy Nelson (6-12, 4.07) on Wednesday night.