The Chicago Cubs have been the worst team in baseball this season, but don't tell that to them when they face the Braves. The club improved to 3-1 against Atlanta this season with a 4-1 victory on Monday night. With the loss, the Braves have now scored five runs in 36 innings against the Cubs.
The story of the night was Jeff Samardzija, who worked seven masterful innings. He surrendered just one run on four hits and a walk, striking out 11 in the process. He snapped his four-game losing streak with the win.
Anthony Rizzo hit his second home run of the season off of Tommy Hanson, a deep homer over the center field wall. The Braves tied the score at 1-1 in the sixth on a two-out single from Martin Prado that drove Michael Bourn home.
As has been the case with Atlanta in recent weeks, the club promptly surrendered runs after scoring in the previous half inning. Hanson loaded the bases, and Luis Valbuena cleared them on a three-run double down the right field line.
The Braves put a runner on base in the eighth and ninth innings, but they were unable to do anything with it. As has seemingly been the case with them the past month, it's all-or-nothing with this team offensively.
Atlanta will look to even the series on Tuesday night at 7:10 p.m. ET.
For more on the Braves, check out Talking Chop.