Montero, Soler homer in 8th to lift Cubs over Braves 9-7

Those last two homers came against ex-Cub Edwin Jackson, who was signed by the Braves this month after being released by the Cubs.

Chicago Cubs’ Anthony Rizzo hits an one-run single during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves Friday, August 21, 2015, in Chicago.

The Braves pushed across one run in the seventh as Swisher picked up his second RBI with a two-out single that drove in Maybin to make it 9-3. Bryant came home on the next pitch, which Montero blasted into the right-center field gap for the go-ahead RBI.

“I made a couple of mistakes on the mound that were kind of costly”, Miller said. He gave up six runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings.

The Cubs jumped to a 7-0 lead after three innings on four home runs.

The Braves managed to give up four walks in their last game.

Major League Baseball has said this season that it was studying the issue of fan safety. “I think the strike zone was a little tight at some times”.

Manager Fredi Gonzalez was more surprised by his normally reliable defense as Atlanta dropped its ninth in its past 11.

“We’re going out there, we expect to win”, Hendricks said.

In his last start, Haren pitched 4.2 innings, allowing three runs and striking out four in a 3-1 loss to the White Sox.

Braves outfielder Nick Swisher swatted a home run from both sides of the plate on Saturday afternoon at Wrigley field against the Cubs.

Joe Maddon may have a laid-back attitude that has rubbed off on the Chicago Cubs, but there is apparently at least one thing about the organization that he is pretty gung ho about changing. “It exemplifies, typifies that we don’t quit. Was definitely a really good win for us”. “Really good riding fastball and a nice cutter through the backdoor against lefties”. “I know I don’t have any influence on that right now”. Four pitches later, Montero lofted a pitch that landed in the left-field basket for a home run.

Neither starter finished the fifth inning.

The Cubs went ahead in the first inning, when center fielder Dexter Fowler led off with a triple and scored on Rizzo’s groundout to first.

The Cubs were just getting started. Hammel allowed season highs of 9 hits and three house runs in final Tuesday’s 10-Eight loss to the Tigers. Hendricks struck out seven, walked one and scattered seven hits.

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

The Atlanta Braves need a win to snap a six-game losing streak.

The lack of innings by the starters aside from ace Jake Arrieta has been a concern for the Cubs, considering the bullpen guys have become more like everyday players. From an April article in Rolling Stone, Rizzo had this to say, “I have no expectations for myself”.