Cubs find their bats, beat Braves 9-3 to snap 5-game skid

ATLANTA (AP) — Jason Heyward drove in two runs with two hits and the Chicago Cubs emerged from their hitting slump to beat the Atlanta Braves 9-3 on Thursday night, ending their five-game losing streak.

The Cubs had 16 hits, topping their combined total of 13 in the first three games of the series. Jake Marisnick hit a homer in the seventh and every Chicago starter had at least one hit.

Matt Duffy reached base four times on two hits and two walks. He scored two runs and drove in a run. Anthony Rizzo had three hits.

Adbert Alzolay (1-2) allowed two runs on four hits and had six strikeouts in six innings. It was the longest of 10 career starts for the right-hander.

Following 5-0 and 10-0 losses the previous two nights, Chicago found its offense and avoided a four-game sweep. The Cubs ended a streak of 20 consecutive scoreless innings with two runs in the first.

Kris Bryant had a run-scoring single in the first. Matt Duffy, who singled, scored from third on a balk by Bryse Wilson (1-2).

Wilson, pitching on three days rest, gave up four runs on seven hits and two walks in three innings.

The Braves (12-13) were denied their attempt to move over .500 for the first time this season.

Marcell Ozuna led off the sixth by lining a homer 479 feet over the Cubs' bullpen behind the left-field wall.

Ronald Acuña Jr. drove in a run with a seventh-inning single off Ryan Tepera. With left-hander Andrew Chafin on the mound, Freddie Freeman hit into a double play to end the inning.

Cubs shortstop Javier Báez had a triple and drove in a run in his return after missing three games with a hamstring injury. His sacrifice fly in the third drove in Bryant, who doubled.

Alzolay’s second-inning single to right field was his first career hit. While standing on first base, he motioned to the...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Cubs-find-their-bats-beat-Braves-9-3-to-snap-16140762.php