Chicago Cubs swept by Atlanta Braves, fall 5-2 in series finale

Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

As we near the quarter pole in the season, the picture becomes more clear regarding each team and who they are. It’s clear at this point that you are who you are.

This is who the Cubs are – and at this point, it’s not good at all.

The Braves (21-15) finished off a three-game sweep of the National League’s worst team in the Cubs (12-24), with a 5-2 win on Sunday afternoon.

Evan Gattis hammered the game-winning home run in the fourth inning, a solo blast to left field that put the Braves up 3-2. Jason Heyward added a two-run shot in the eighth that provided the final difference, 5-2.

Today’s Mother’s Day tilt was a continuation of a weekend filled with Braves starting pitching that was as stubborn as a southern mama on a hot, Georgia Sunday. Their starters came into play today with a National League best 2.54 ERA, and Aaron Harang (4-3, 2.98) continued them down that path. Harang surrendered only two runs in six innings and the Braves achieved double-digit strikeouts for the third time in three days – today they struck out 14 Cub batters – 12 yesterday and 11 on Friday.

Edwin Jackson (2-3, 4.56) qualified for a quality start but, given the Cubs struggles on offense, it was going to take a better than average outing to salvage the finale. Jackson went six innings and gave up the shot of the day – Gattis’ home run that put Atlanta ahead to stay.

After scoring 12 runs on Thursday in a 12-5 win over the White Sox, the Cubs offense was only able to score four runs total in the three-game set at Turner Field. The Cubs will next head to St. Louis to try to right the ship starting tomorrow night. The only series win of the year for the Cubs came against the Cards at Wrigley Field last weekend – a trend the Cubs hope continues this week.

Tomorrow night, the Cubs will send Travis Wood (2-4, 4.75) to the mound. Wood is coming off his shortest start on the year on Wednesday in an 8-3 loss to the White Sox. Tyler Lyons (0-2, 3.43) will go for the Cards in the series opener. First pitch will be 7:10 CST and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN – as well as broadcast by WGN Radio AM 720.