Chicago Cubs struggle in Heyward’s return to Atlanta, fall 5-1 to Braves

It was a hot night in Atlanta but the Braves were even hotter in their 5-1 win over the visiting Chicago Cubs. While the home team lifted off for a couple home runs and 12 hits, Chicago managed to only record four base knocks of their own behind one run.

Baseball happened tonight but it wasn’t the result that the Chicago Cubs and their fans were hoping for. Atlanta absolutely hammered Cubs pitching throughout the game and made several defensive plays.

Right-hander Jason Hammel (7-2, 2.36 ERA) was handed his second loss of the season after giving up three earned runs on eight hits, zero walks, four strikeouts and two home runs that came back in the second inning.

Hammel retired Nick Markakis to lead off the home half of the second only to give up back-to-back home runs to Adonis Garcia and Tyler Flowers just moments later.

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Garcia turned on the first pitch of his at-bat and sent it out to left-center field where Dexter Fowler attempted to make a highlight play of his own by robbing him of a round trip. It, of course, wouldn’t happen as Garcia made his way around the bases for the first run of the game.

Former Chicago White Sox slugger, Flowers, worked his count to 2-2 before getting ahold of an 83 mile per hour slider, sending it out to left field for his third big fly of the year. This made it 2-0 with Bud Norris on the mound.

Norris (2-7, 4.75 ERA) brought his very best in the series opener against the Cubs (41-18), holding them to one earned run on four hits, zero walks, and six strikeouts through seven innings of work.

His bullpen entered the game and shut down the Cubbies by not allowing a hit on a combined three strikeouts between Jim Johnson and former Cub Arodys Vizcaino.

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Outfielder Albert Almora started the top of the third inning with his first career double to left field and later advanced on a wild pitch by Norris. He would come around to score on a groundout with Dexter Fowler in the batters box to cut into Atlanta’s (18-42) lead.

The Braves busted things wide open with the bases loaded in the eighth. Ender Incarte singled out to left, driving in Jace Peterson for his second RBI of the evening. Freddie Freeman recorded the final run of the ballgame with a sacrifice fly out to Almora in left, making it 5-1, the final score.

Hopefully, the Cubs will be able to get back to their winning ways when Jake Arrieta takes the mound tomorrow afternoon.