Jul 18, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Hector Rondon (56) and catcher Willson Contreras (40) react after defeating the Atlanta Braves at SunTrust Park. Photo Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
ATLANTA — The Chicago Cubs struck a pair of home runs, one of them a three-run shot from red-hot catcher Willson Contreras, and won for the fifth straight time, a 5-1 decision over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday at SunTrust Park.
Javier Baez went 3-for-4 with a homer, but it was the two-out, third-inning bomb from Contreras that proved the difference. Contreras was 1-for-4 with a walk and is now 9-for-22 (.402) with two homers and seven RBIs in the five games of the current road trip.
Chicago starter John Lackey (6-9) was the beneficiary of the support. The veteran right-hander, making his first start since going on the disabled list with plantar fasciitis on July 6, pitched five innings and allowed only one run on five hits.
Lackey failed to retire the side in order during his stint. However, only once did he allow multiple runners to reach base, and twice the first hit of an inning came with two outs.
The Cubs got shutout innings of relief from Brian Duensing and Pedro Strop before Atlanta threatened in the eighth inning against Carl Edwards Jr. The right-hander allowed a pair of runners to reach before retiring Matt Adams and Nick Markakis on called third strikes. Edwards struck out the side and now has 56 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings.
Right-hander Hector Rondon pitched a scoreless ninth inning in a non-save situation, striking out three.
The losing pitcher was Atlanta rookie Sean Newcomb (1-5), who allowed five runs in 5 1/3 innings. He was chased in the sixth after allowing three consecutive hits to open the inning. Newcomb struck out pinch hitter Jon Jay, but was lifted for right-handed reliever Luke Jackson, who limited to Cubs’ threat to only one run, that coming when Albert Almora Jr. scored on Ben Zobrist’s grounder to first.
The Atlanta bullpen was effective. Jackson pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings, and Sam Freeman followed with two scoreless innings.
Atlanta took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Markakis hit a long solo home run, his fifth.
Chicago homered twice in the third inning and went ahead 4-1. Baez led off with a solo shot, his 11th, and the Cubs got a three-run homer from Contreras. The two runners ahead of Contreras — Zobrist and Kris Bryant — reached on walks from Newcomb.
NOTES: The game started 2 hours and 30 minutes late because of a rainy front that moved through the area. It was the 13th time the Braves have had a rain delay this season. … Chicago activated RHP John Lackey from the 10-day disabled list and optioned RHP Eddie Butler to Triple-A Iowa. Lackey had been sidelined due to right foot plantar fasciitis. … Atlanta said it will activate RHP Arodys Vizcaino on Wednesday. He has been out since July 5 with a right index finger strain. The team is inclined to send a reliever to Triple-A Gwinnett to continue working with a seven-man bullpen. … The attendance was 41,541, the Braves’ ninth sellout at SunTrust Park.
