Chicago Cubs Recap: Matt Szczur adds insurance as Cubs beat Braves

The Chicago Cubs entered the afternoon with a three-game win streak following their two-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers. They welcomed in David Ross and Jason Heyward‘s former team, the Atlanta Braves to begin a weekend series.

With only two days left in April, the Chicago Cubs are looking to finish the month strong. Veteran southpaw Jon Lester, who was on the mound for the North Siders, found himself in a pitcher’s duel with 23-year-old right-hander Aaron Blair.

Lester (2-1, 1.83 ERA) held the visiting Braves (5-18) to one earned run (Freddie Freeman solo homer) on seven hits while issuing two walks and recording 10 strikeouts in seven innings of work. Today was his fifth straight quality start which just so happened to be a career best for the 32-year-old. He found himself in a bit of a jam during the top half of the seventh.

With the scored tied at one a piece, the Cubs (17-5) were backed into a corner when the Atlanta Braves loaded the bases with no outs. Jeff Francoeur lead things off with a single to center field and former Chicago White Sox’ Tyler Flowers followed that with a walk.

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As we all know, Lester has troubles throwing to first base. This came back to bite him when Erick Aybar put down what should have been a sacrifice bunt that was ruled an infield single.

Cubs skipper Joe Maddon made his way to the mound to speak to his starter who looked a bit shaky. Whatever Maddon said to Lester worked to perfection as he would go onto striking out the next two batter’s and ended the inning with Nick Markakis grounding out to first baseman Anthony Rizzo.

Rizzo, just like Markakis, stepped up into the batter’s box with the bases loaded later on in the eighth inning. Infielder Tommy La Stella led off the home half of the frame with a double to left field but was called out at third on a fielder’s choice. Former Brave, Jason Heyward, moved Dexter Fowler over to second by working a five-pitch walk.

Moments after Ben Zobrist lined a pitch out to right field to load the bases, Rizzo, like Markakis, stepped to the plate with an opportunity to bust things wide open with one swing. Rizzo came through with an RBI single up the middle, giving the Cubs their first lead of the afternoon.

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While the crowd was buzzing following Rizzo’s RBI base knock, outfielder Matt Szczur came through with the biggest at-bat of the game. On the second pitch of the at-bat, Szczur turned on a 92 mile per hour fastball and sent it out to deep left field for a grand slam — his second home run of the season that made it a 6-1 ballgame.

Closer Hector Rondon entered the game in the ninth and slammed the door on the Braves, recording three quick outs to give Chicago their 17th victory of the young season.