Chicago Cubs lose to the Milwaukee Brewers 6-4 — and then watch their NL Central rivals clinch a playoff berth

Chicago Cubs rookie Justin Steele faced the biggest challenge of his young career Saturday night, going up against National League Cy Young Award candidate Corbin Burnes of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Burnes was coming off a combined no-hitter, while Steele had allowed a career high in hits (10) and runs (five) in his previous start against the San Francisco Giants.

Steele acquitted himself with four strong innings, but the Cubs lost 6-4 to watch the Brewers clinch a postseason berth.

The Brewers improved to 15-3 against the Cubs in the season series with 11 consecutive wins.

Burnes had another dominant outing, striking out 11 over six innings, and catcher Manny Pina hit two home runs, including the go-ahead shot in the eighth inning off Adbert Alzolay.

The Cubs put the tying runs in scoring position in the ninth, but Josh Hader struck out Patrick Wisdom to end it.

“This place was on its feet, really an electric atmosphere at the end,” manager David Ross said.

The Brewers opened the scoring in the second on Pina’s leadoff home run, and the Cubs tied it in the third on a fielder’s-choice grounder from Willson Contreras. It was the first Cubs’ run off Burnes in 17 innings. He came into the night with 25 strikeouts against the Cubs in 14 innings in his previous two starts.

Eduardo Escobar started the third in familiar fashion, homering off Steele to give the Brewers a 2-1 lead. Steele came out for a pinch hitter in the fifth, and Ian Happ smoked a two-run home run to give the Cubs a 3-2 lead.

After the Brewers tied it in the fifth and Jace Peterson homered to put them ahead in the sixth before Contreras’s home tied it in the seventh.

Steele, who allowed two runs on two hits while walking four, said he lost his release point early but found it in the fourth. He was also pleased to get a single off Burnes, who threw eight no-hit innings in his last outing.

“It was really cool,” Steele said. “I really enjoyed hitting my whole entire life, really loved it growing up, high school and stuff. Getting a hit in the big leagues was a thing I wanted to accomplish. If they get rid of the DH next year, I can always say I’ve got a big-league hit, so I was really excited.”

The Cubs have been road kill for the Brewers all season, but Ross said he was proud of the effort.

“Everybody is bringing it on a nightly basis,” he said. “That’s all you can ask for.”

Before the game, Ross confirmed that infielder Nico Hoerner will be activated Sunday after his long rehab stint from an oblique strain. Hoerner has missed 47 games since going on the 10-day injured list July 29, just before the sell-off. There are only 13 games remaining, so why activate him now?

“If you’re a real competitor and you like your job, you want to play, right?” Ross said. “At the end of the day, he’s a baseball player and wants to play baseball. It doesn’t matter if it’s a (single) game. ... He’s been injured a lot in the minor leagues. Every game matters. Getting the at-bats, all that stuff is healthy.”

Hoerner called it “an awesome chance to play some baseball, finish the year on the field, play some shortstop” in the final two weeks.

“There are a lot of positives and things to learn in a situation like that,” Hoerner said. “I’m excited. Every year has it’s challenges. Obviously it’s been more on the physical side for me this year and I’ve learned a lot in that process.”

Ross said Keegan Thompson also might be activated from the IL in the next few days after rehabbing from right shoulder inflammation.

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