Cubs beat Brewers in opener

On a blustery day at Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-4 to open the 2022 Major League Baseball season.    Two rough innings spoiled the day as reigning Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes overcame uncharacteristic shaky control early to pitch four scoreless innings and holding a 1-0 lead into the fifth.   That’s when the Cubs struck for three runs, the big blow, a hanging curveball hit over the left field wall by Chicago’s number nine hitter Nico Horner to make it a 3-1 game.   The Brewers got back even in the top of the seventh thanks to an RBI double from Willy Adames and a Christian Yelich sacrifice fly.  Chicago answered right back against reliever Jake Cousins.   After Cousins beaned Wilson Contreras putting two runners aboard,  Ian Happ plated both with a ringing double off the top of the wall in right center field.      Newly acquired catcher Victor Caratini, a former Cub, came through with a pinch hit RBI double in the 8th but that would be it for the Milwaukee offense.     Burnes lasted five innings, giving up three runs on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts.  His counterpart, Kyle Hendricks struck out seven over five and a third innings.     Lorenzo Cain drove in a pair of runs for Milwaukee and veteran newcomer Andrew McCutcheon went two for five but Milwaukee was just one for ten with runners in scoring position.    The Brewers will send Brandon Woodruff to the mound against Justin Steele in game two of the series Friday afternoon.