Braves Beat Cubs 5-2
ATLANTA (AP) — Evan Gattis hit a tiebreaking homer, Jason Heyward added a two-run shot and the Atlanta Braves beat the Chicago Cubs 5-2 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.
Gattis gave Atlanta a 3-2 lead with his homer off Edwin Jackson in the fourth inning. Heyward added to the lead with his first home run since April 9, a seventh-inning drive off James Russell that landed in the Braves' bullpen beyond the right-field wall.
Aaron Harang (4-3) gave up two runs on six hits and two walks in six innings. He had nine strikeouts. He is one win shy of matching his 2013 total in 26 starts combined with Seattle and the Mets.
Jackson (2-3) allowed three runs on six hits and two walks in six innings.
David Carpenter pitched the ninth for his second save. B.J. Upton made a sliding catch of Ryan Kalish's short fly in center field to end it.
Atlanta closer Craig Kimbrel was rested after pitching two straight days.
The NL East-leading Braves have recovered from seven straight losses by winning four of five. The Cubs, last in the NL Central, have dropped seven of eight.
Harang has allowed more than two earned runs in only one of his eight starts — nine runs in a 9-3 loss at Miami on April 30.
Ryan Doumit had a run-scoring single and Andrelton Simmons drove in a run with a double to give Atlanta a 2-0 lead in the second.
The Cubs tied it in the fourth. Nate Schierholtz's double drove in Anthony Rizzo, who led off with a walk, and Starlin Castro, who doubled. Harang recovered with three straight strikeouts to end the inning.
The Braves quickly reclaimed the lead when Gattis hit his eighth homer over the 380-foot sign in left field.
Jackson allowed only one homer in his first seven starts.
Dan Uggla was hit by a pitch from Russell as a pinch-hitter to lead off the seventh. Uggla scored on Heyward's third homer.
NOTES: Jackson, who grew up in Georgia and lives in Atlanta, is 0-3 in eight career games, including six starts, against the Braves. ... Braves LF Justin Upton was held out after he sustained a bruised lower back muscle when he was hit by a pitch from Jeff Samardzija on Saturday night. Justin Upton said he hopes to play Monday in San Francisco. ... Atlanta 2B Tyler Pastornicky made his second consecutive start and was 0 for 4. ... The Braves begin a six-game road trip at the Giants with RHP Gavin Floyd facing RHP Tim Lincecum on Monday night. Lincecum beat the Braves on May 2. ... The Cubs open a four-game series in St. Louis on Monday night when LHP Travis Wood faces LHP Tyler Lyons.
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