Brewers beat Cubs 2-1 on 2-run homer by Kottaras - WKOW 27: Madison, WI Breaking News, Weather and Sports

CHICAGO (AP) -- George Kottaras hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning, and Yovani Gallardo outdueled Ryan Dempster as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs 2-1 Wednesday for their third straight win in the four-game series.

Backed by Starlin Castro's first-inning sacrifice fly that followed David DeJesus' double, Dempster (0-1) had a three-hit shutout before Mat Gamel doubled leading off the seventh and Kottaras followed with his second homer this season.

Gallardo (1-1) allowed five hits in seven innings, struck out six and walked two. Francisco Rodriguez worked around a pair of walks in the eighth, and John Axford pitched a one-hit ninth for his second save, dropping the last-place Cubs to a 1-5 start.