The Braves were unable to come up with that big, game-altering hit on Monday night against the Cubs, but that changed on Tuesday. After receiving a stellar effort from Randall Delgado -- his second such start in the last week -- and strong work from the bullpen, Atlanta tied the series up with a 3-1 victory.
Delgado pitched 5.2 innings and allowed just three hits and three walks. He struck out five. The 22-year-old had a one-hitter working through the first five innings, but back two hits in the sixth eventually ended his night.
Jason Heyward led off the fifth inning with a triple and was driven in on the next pitch courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Tyler Pastornicky. Alfonso Soriano then tied the game up at 1-1 with an RBI-double down the right field line in the bottom of the sixth.
The Braves came up big in the eighth inning against Kerry Wood. Michael Bourn singled to lead off the inning and Martin Prado followed with a walk. After a Freddie Freeman groundout to put runners on the corner, Brian McCann walked. Dan Uggla lined a ball back up the middle that went just out of the reach of shortstop Starlin Castro, scoring Bourn and Freeman easily.
Jonny Venters worked a scoreless eighth inning, keyed by a huge 4-6-3 double play that is sure to hit the highlight reels on Tuesday evening. Craig Kimbrel then shut the door in the ninth, striking out two and getting Geovany Soto to pop out for the final out of the game.
The Braves will go for the series win on Wednesday afternoon. Tim Hudson will take the mound for Atlanta and will be opposed by Paul Maholm. First pitch is set for 2:20 ET from Wrigley Field.
For more on these two clubs, check out Talking Chop and Bleed Cubbie Blue.