Cubs hand Braves 20th loss in 22 road games

Sunday’s game between the Cubs and Braves at Wrigley Field came to a brief stop after a fan was struck by a foul line drive and had to be taken away on a stretcher.

Chicago is a season-high twenty games over.500, and just three wins from surpassing their entire win total of 2014.

Miguel Montero hit a three-run homer within the third inning.

Haren pitched just 4 1-3 innings in his fourth start with the Cubs since being acquired at the non-waiver trade deadline from Miami.

“We’re seeing a lot of pitches, not really swinging at pitchers’ pitches, making them work a little bit”, Bryant said. The 34-year-old has managed to avoid disaster, but he hasn’t made it through more than 5 1/3 innings in any of those three outings and has surrendered six home runs. We had some really good at-bats that (sixth) inning, and our pitchers, our bullpen did a great job.

White Sox 8, Angels 2: Jose Abreu capped a five-run fifth with a two-run double and the Chicago avoided a four-game sweep.

“The only thing that matters is getting back on track as a team”, Arrieta said. “You gotta throw the fastball and gotta pitch to weaknesses”, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. Batting left-handed against starter Dan Haren in the second inning, he clubbed a home run to the opposite field to give the Braves a 2-1 lead.

Atlanta tagged him for three earned runs on seven hits while issuing one walk and recording seven strikeouts.

Cubs: Bryant returned to the lineup after being pulled from Thursday’s game after fouling a ball off his foot in the fifth inning.

Joe Maddon is a glass-half-full kind of guy – especially if that glass contains a postgame adult beverage – so it isn’t surprising the Chicago Cubs manager was upbeat about the performance of starter Kyle Hendricks on Friday. You’ve got to hit it, too.

Jackson (L: 2-2, 3.19) served up the late long balls to take the loss in his return to Wrigley Field. According to Baseball Reference’s game logs, in the last 20 games as the Cubs have surged forward going 16-4, Rizzo has hit 8 home runs and drove in 22 RBIs. You’ve got to put it in the air.

“It’s a good feeling [to come back]”.

Both teams are struggling right now, and the Braves have been playing good baseball at home, so you have to like their chances in the series before the Yankees roll into town, possibly playing spoiler in their attempts to keep up the top spot in the AL East. The Cubs are 33-34 when they allow at least one homer. Both home runs came off former Cub Edwin Jackson, whom the Cubs released on July 27.