Lester flirts with no-hitter for a bit, Cubs beat Braves

Schwarber appeared in six games during that stint, going 8 for 22 at the plate (.364) with a triple, a home run and six RBIs. Markakis would then score on a Kelly Johnson single, and the Braves took a 1-0 lead. Approaching the trade deadline the Cubs may add a pitcher to round out the rotation, but it’s not an absolute necessity because the team will use off days to skip the fifth starter. Schwarber continues to hit at any level, showing his plus power with 10 extra-base hits in 17 games with Iowa following a dazzling week with the big league club. “We need everybody to step up. I feel like if I’m being a good team guy, I’ll put myself in a good situation”. “It’s not going my way right now”.

Cubs: Jake Arrieta (10-5), coming off a complete-game victory over the White Sox, will try to extend his string of five consecutive quality starts in Sunday’s final game of the series. Perhaps more importantly, he showed that he’s not just a hitter by throwing out a runner attempting to steal for the third out of an inning.

Hendricks allowed two runs, one earned, in 5 2/3 innings.

The Cubs couldn’t take advantage of having runners on first and third with no outs in the first. He struck out four and walked three while suffering his first loss of the season.

The Braves countered in the bottom of the inning as Cameron Maybin would walk with two outs, followed by an RBI double by Nick Markakis.

He was replaced by just-signed left-hander Detwiler, who retired the left-handed hitting Anthony Rizzo on a grounder to end the inning. It was their longest road drought against the Braves since the team moved to Atlanta in 1966. Catcher Miguel Montero’s thumb injury has thrown a kink into the Kyle Schwarber saga. The Braves used five different relievers tonight and they pitched 4.1 scoreless innings allowing only two hits while striking out two. The 37-year-old joins a Braves team that was looking for veteran bullpen help following the season-ending Achilles injury suffered by closer Jason Grilli.

Jon Lester snapped a pair of losing streaks while taking a no-hit bid into the eighth inning in the process.

Atlanta Braves’ A.J. Pierzynski slides home safely on a single by Eury Perez during the eighth i …

They thought they’d have a chance to tie in the fifth, when pinch-hitter Jonny Gomes reached on a one-out fielding error by shortstop Starlin Castro. He was examined by a hand specialist in Chicago on Friday and is expected to start his rehab in Arizona this weekend.

It’s the 14th time in the last 20 games the Cubs have scored two or fewer, a trend that led in part to the decision to recall Schwarber – who also made his first big-league start behind the plate.