Brewers lose to Cubs as Josh Hader serves up two home runs in the ninth

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Cubs third baseman Ildemaro Vargas tags out Brewers’ Keston Hiura in the ninth inning Saturday night at Miller Park.

MORRY GASH, ASSOCIATED PRESS

MILWAUKEE — Saturday night was shaping up to be one of those games that have come to define manager Craig Counsell and the Milwaukee Brewers during September.

Forced into a bullpen game when Brett Anderson was a late scratch ahead of his scheduled start because of tightness in his hip and facing a pitcher who had thrown a complete-game shutout against them on Opening Day, the Brewers held a 2-0 lead through eight innings and were handing the ball to Josh Hader to close out a third consecutive shutout.

But instead of celebrating, the Brewers were left stunned as Hader allowed back-to-back one-out home runs, including a three-run shot by Jason Heyward, as the Chicago Cubs rallied for a 4-2 victory at Miller Park.

“It’s hard, especially right now, being in such a close chase in the same division as these guys,” Hader said. “This is a big loss for us.”

Brewers pitchers had gone 27 innings without allowing a run and were two outs away from recording a third consecutive shutout for just the third time in franchise history when Hader allowed back-to-back singles to Javy Baez and Anthony Rizzo.

Hader (1-2) was a strike away from retiring Heyward when he left a fastball over the plate that the outfielder crushed to center, giving Chicago a 3-2 lead. Ildemaro Vargas followed by working Hader full before hitting his first home run of the season.