Edwin Maysonet’s grand slam lifts Brewers past Cubs

Milwaukee, WI, United States (AHN Sports) – It took Milwaukee Brewers’ reserve infielder Edwin Maysonet almost three years to hit his second career major league home run and it was a huge one.

Maysonet hit his first career grand slam against Chris Volstad to lift the Brewers past the Chicago Cubs, 8-2 Saturday at Miller Park.

Called up from Triple-A Nashville six days ago, Maysonet had his first career home run while playing for the Houston Astros on May 29, 2009 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

He started at second base for injured Rickie Weeks, who was sidelined with a sore wrist.

“It feels amazing. You’re helping your team win, and especially in that way. It’s amazing,” said Maysonet, who played for five years with the Astros.

“I’m just trying to get a good fastball that I can hit a line drive because I am not a home run hitter,” he added. “You can see my stats.”

Maysonet’s grand slam was the first for the Brewers this season and the club’s first by a position player in nearly two years.

Shaun Marcum, who hit the Brewers’ lone grand slam last season, pitched seven effective innings for the Brewers, giving up one run on three hits and struck out six for his second win.

“Once he starts getting in that rhythm, it’s fun to watch, because he can really mess up some good hitters by the speed change and the different ways his ball moves,” Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. “It’s never straight.”

The victory was the second straight for the Brewers, who beat the Cubs, 8-7, on Friday in a 13-inning, 5-hour game.

“We’re finally playing ball the way we want to play,” Marcum said, according to mlb.com. “Everything’s going pretty well for us right now.”

Volstad (0-5) gave up six runs on nine hits in six innings for the Cubs. It was the 18th straight start that Volstad did not record a victory. His last win was July 17, 2011, for Florida.

Cubs manager Dale Sveum said Volstad pitched well, but the game got away from him in the sixth inning.

“The slider got him in trouble again,” he said. “That is something we’ve got to work on because it’s a pitch he needs, but it’s getting hit too often and too hard.”

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