Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong watches his two-run home run during...

Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong watches his two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers in Chicago, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. Credit: AP/Paul Beaty

CHICAGO — Pete Crow-Armstrong hit his 39th homer, Kevin Gausman threw seven sharp innings and the Chicago Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers 2-1 on Thursday night.

The Cubs salvaged a split of a four-game series with the NL-Central leading Brewers and are eight games behind in the division standings. Milwaukee, which leads the season series 4-6, will host the Cubs for three games next week.

Gausman (9-11) allowed one run on five hits in his sixth start with the Cubs since they acquired the veteran right-hander from Toronto at the trade deadline. He struck out nine and walked one.

Brewers rookie Logan Henderson (9-3) yielded two runs on three hits in seven innings, striking out seven and walking none. The 24-year-old right-hander's three-game winning streak ended, even though he's allowed just five runs and has a 1.67 ERA over his last four starts.

Henderson retired 14 straight after Crow Armstrong’s two-run drive in the third inning put the Cubs ahead and moved the All-Star center fielder to one behind Philadelphia’s Kyle Schwarber for the major league home run lead. Crow-Armstrong golfed Henderson’s low changeup 413 feet to the basket in center field.

Milwaukee’s Andrew Vaughn hit a solo shot over the left-field bleachers in the fourth to end a 24-game home-run drought and cut it to 2-1. Vaughn's 420-foot drive came off a low, inside corner splitter and reached Waveland Avenue.

Ryan Zeferjahn pitched a scoreless eighth and Ryan Rolison tossed a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save.

Milwaukee Brewers' Andrew Vaughn, right, celebrates with teammate Garrett Mitchell...

Milwaukee Brewers' Andrew Vaughn, right, celebrates with teammate Garrett Mitchell (5) after hitting solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. Credit: AP/Paul Beaty

Crow-Armstrong was named NL Player of the Month for August, when he went deep 14 times, before the game.

Up next

Brewers: LHP Shane Drohan (7-5, 3.75 ERA) faces Reds RHP Rhett Lowder (6-8, 5.14) in Cincinnati on Friday night.

Cubs: LHP Shota Imanaga (8-10, 4.01) takes the mound against Marlins RHP Janson Junk (6-8, 4.11) at Miami on Friday night.

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