TYLER CHATWOOD (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

CHICAGO (AP) — Tyler Chatwood turned in the sort of performance the Chicago Cubs thought he would deliver on a regular basis. The right-hander, who struggled with his control for much of his first two seasons with the team, sure was locked in.

For the Cubs, it was a welcome sight.

Chatwood pitched three-hit ball over six innings, Wilson Contreras homered and Chicago beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9-1 on Sunday to take two of three in their opening series.

Chatwood (1-0) gave the Cubs just the sort of outing they were looking for after working mostly out of the bullpen last season. He struck out eight and walked two.

“I think Chatty has changed the narrative around here for all of us,” manager David Ross said. “He is a guy we’re gonna rely on. He’s gonna get big innings. I have extreme confidence in him. His stuff is real. … That outing today was no surprise for anyone around here that knows him and knows the work he’s put in.”

Chatwood’s stuff never really was in doubt. His command was another story. He finally started to harness it down the stretch last year. And if there’s more to come like this, the Cubs will take it.

“I think it’s nice to get the opportunity to start again,” Chatwood said. “Rossy had a ton of confidence in me so go out there and prove him right, I guess. It’s one — awesome. Now, just get ready for the next one.”

Leading 1-0, the Cubs sent 10 batters to the plate in the fourth. The first six reached safely, starting with Kyle Schwarber’s walk and Contreras’ double.

Freddy Peralta then walked Jason Heyward before Corey Knebel gave up RBI singles to Nico Hoerner, Victor Caratini and Happ, making it 5-0.

On Saturday, Christian Yelich and Justin Smoak hit long home runs, umpires intervened before a shouting match between the teams got too serious and the Milwaukee Brewers powered past the Chicago Cubs 8-3.

Milwaukee’s bats broke loose against Yu Darvish and the Cubs bullpen on a warm, breezy afternoon.

Smoak launched a towering solo shot off the right-field scoreboard in the fifth. Yelich drove a two-run blast high into Wrigley’s center-field batter’s eye in the sixth.

Ben Gamel hit a two-run triple for the Brewers. Kyle Schwarber hit a two-run homer deep to right and Contreras singled in a run for Chicago.

Milwaukee’s Corbin Burnes lasted 3 1/3 innings and tossed 75 pitches in his first start since April 2019 . He allowed a run on two hits while striking out six.

Brent Suter (1-0) pitched 2 2/3 innings, giving up Schwarber’s homer.

Darvish (0-1) failed to follow up on a strong finish in 2019, allowing three runs on six hits in four innings.