Brewers' Victor Caratini hits a three-run walk-off home run to give win over Cubs

Victor Caratini was not supposed to be on the Milwaukee Brewers roster this year. The veteran backstop was acquired via trade when Pedro Severino tested positive for PED’s during Spring Training. 

On July 4, the day Severino made his season debut with the Brewers, Caratini found himself started at first base. Due to MLB’s rule regarding Severino not being eligible to play in the postseason, the Brewers have decided to keep three catchers on the roster for the time being. Caratini made the decision look good as he launched a three-run home run in the 10th inning to give the Brewers a 5-2 victory over his former team, the Chicago Cubs.

Eric Lauer had been struggling for near a month when he took the hill for the Brewers on their Independence Day tilt with the Cubs. Despite not getting the win, Lauer pitched a quality start for the first time in nearly a month. His last quality start came on June 5 against the San Diego Padres when he went six innings and allowed three runs. 

Since then, Lauer has been far from efficient:

• Five innings and eight earned runs against the Washington Nationals.
• 6.1 innings and four earned runs against the Cincinnati Reds.
• Six innings and five earned runs against the St. Louis Cardinals.
• 4.1 innings and three earned runs against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Against the Cubs, Lauer pitched six innings, allowed just one run and struck out nine.