CHICAGO – Darwin Barney played another errorless game — barely. Unfortunately his teammates committed enough miscues to spoil another solid start by a Cubs starter.
Mike Fiers tossed 7 1-3 solid innings to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 3-1 win over the Cubs on Wednesday night, their eighth straight victory against Chicago.
Jean Segura stroked a go-ahead single in the seventh and scored an insurance run when Chicago committed two errors after Segura's steal of second base.
"We throw the ball away three times within about three minutes," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. "It was unfortunate that they scored a couple of runs out of that. Sometimes that's what happens trying to be aggressive."
The bumbling Cubs fell to 31 games under .500, their worst mark since Sept. 30, 2006, and looked the part during Milwaukee's two-run rally in the seventh that was aided by three errors.
Nyjer Morgan reached on a bunt single and went to second when Jeff Samardzija's throw sailed up the right field line. He went to third when Samardzija uncorked a wild pitch, and scored on Segura's solid single to left.
Segura stole second and dashed for third when Welington Castillo's throw bounced past Starlin Castro. Barney backed up the play and threw to third, but Luis Valbuena missed the ball, allowing Segura to score.
"Barney made actually a really good throw there," Sveum said. "We would have had that guy out, but it didn't work out in our favor."
Barney was initially charged with the second error on the play, but after the inning the official scorer gave the miscue to Valbuena.
"I was aware," Barney said. "I figured it was mine. It's one of those things where at that time, your thoughts are on Samardzija, doing whatever you can to win a ballgame."
The scoring change allowed Barney to extend his streak of consecutive errorless games at second base to 114 games, breaking the National League record of 113 games set by San Diego's David Eckstein in 2010.
"When something like this happens, it's a lot easier to celebrate with a victory," Barney said. "Unfortunately that didn't happen. I've been very proud of the work we've been able to do and accomplish here."
The major league record is 141 games, established by Detroit's Placido Polanco in 2007. Barney's streak is made all the more impressive by the fact he plays his home games on one of baseball's roughest infields.
"On this field?" Barney said. "You have a lot of respect for a guy like (Ryne) Sandberg, who had nine Gold Gloves in a row. The field plays pretty true, but it's been played on for 100 years."
Samardzija (8-12) gave up seven hits and three runs — two earned — in seven innings for the Cubs. He struck out 10 for his third double-digit strikeout game of the season.
"I felt alright, but didn't do what I had to do to get the win," Samardzija said. "Tie ballgame, you've got to do what you can to keep the game tied."
Bryan LaHair singled and scored on Barney's fielder's choice in the second for the Cubs' only run. Chicago has dropped 22 of 28 and has scored two runs or less 11 times in August.
Samardzija has received two runs or fewer of support while on the mound in nine of his last 10 starts, but has lasted at least seven innings in eight of those outings.
"It is what it is," Samardzija said. "You show up every day like a professional and do your job. I go out and give everything I got every day to win a ballgame."
Fiers (8-6) held the Cubs to four hits and struck out six, helping Milwaukee beat its division rival for the 13th time in 16 games this season. Fiers said there's nothing unique about Milwaukee's dominance of the Cubs.
"Wherever were at we try to win, so it's not like we're playing not as hard other places," Fiers said. "We just happen to be better here."
NOTES: The Cubs named Brandon Hyde the club's director of player development, promoting him from his role as minor league field coordinator. Hyde, 38, joined the Cubs during the offseason after spending nine years in the Marlins organization. He will assume the duties of former vice president of player development Oneri Fleita, who was fired on Aug. 15. ... Former Cubs reliever Scott Maine was claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday. Maine was designated for assignment by the Cubs on Monday. ... LaHair entered the game hitting just .164 (12 for 73) since making the NL All-Star team for the first time. LaHair had a streak of reaching base 32 straight games from April 8 to May 15 earlier this season.
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