Brian McCann homered twice and the Atlanta Braves beat the Chicago Cubs 8-3 Thursday. 

McCann hit a three-run homer in the first and a solo shot in the seventh for his eighth career multi-homer game. Michael Bourn had a career high-tying four hits, scored two runs, and drove in a run.

Marlon Byrd homered and Tyler Colvin added a triple and a run for the Cubs, who committed four errors.

Brandon Beachy (7-2) won his fourth straight decision, recovering from a shaky start to pitch six innings. He allowed six hits, two earned runs and struck out eight. 

Matt Garza (6-10) allowed six runs — three earned — and eight hits over five innings. He struck out six. 

The Braves took three of four from the Cubs and have won 16 of their last 21 games. Atlanta won its NL-high 38th road game. 

Garza was coming off one of his best starts of the season in a 3-0 win over St. Louis last Saturday. 

After Bourn led off the game with a single, Martin Prado reached when Garza dropped a flip from Carlos Pena at first. Garza then fell behind McCann, who homered into a stiff wind in right-center and put the Braves ahead 3-0 before Garza had retired a batter. 

Prado reached on errors twice in the game, doubled, walked and scored two runs. 

The Cubs cut into the lead on Darwin Barney’s groundout in the bottom of the first. In the second, Byrd brought Cubs within a run with a homer to left. Colvin tripled into the right-field corner and scored on Geovany Soto’s dribbler, tying the game at 3. 

The Braves grabbed the lead right back with two runs in the third with help from the Cubs. Castro committed his NL-high 22nd error of the season and Garza walked Dan Uggla with the bases full. Freddie Freeman’s RBI single drove in the other run. 

The Braves tacked on a run in the fifth on Jason Heyward’s sacrifice fly and another on McCann’s solo shot in the seventh. McCann leads NL catchers with 22 home runs on the season. 

Bourn drove in a run in the eighth with his fourth single of the game, giving him his sixth career four-hit game. Bourn’s 160 hits are second in the NL to Castro’s 167. 

The Cubs have committed 108 errors this season, most in the majors. Four of Atlanta’s runs were unearned. 

NOTES: Cubs OF Alfonso Soriano was given a day off on Thursday after he was hit in the right forearm by a pitch during Wednesday’s game. Manager Mike Quade said Soriano was available for pinch-hitting duty and is expected to return to the lineup on Friday. . Braves RHP Tommy Hanson left the team and returned to Atlanta to have his ailing shoulder re-evaluated by team doctors. Hanson has been on the disabled list since Aug. 7 because of right rotator cuff tendinitis. . Manager Fredi Gonzalez said the Braves are “closely monitoring” Hurricane Irene and the effect it might have on this weekend’s series in New York against the Mets. . The Braves open a three-game series at New York on Friday, pitting RHP Tim Hudson against Mets lefty Chris Capuano. Hudson has won eight of his last nine decisions. . The Cubs will make the short trip north to face the first-place Brewers in Milwaukee this weekend, with Chicago RHP Rodrigo Lopez squaring off against LHP Randy Wolf in Friday’s opener. . Chicago’s Aramis Ramirez doubled in the eighth, his 700th career extra-base hit, and extended his hitting streak to 14 games.

Brian McCann homered twice and the Atlanta Braves beat the Chicago Cubs 8-3 Thursday.

McCann hit a three-run homer in the first and a solo shot in the seventh for his eighth career multi-homer game. Michael Bourn had a career high-tying four hits, scored two runs, and drove in a run.

Marlon Byrd homered and Tyler Colvin added a triple and a run for the Cubs, who committed four errors.

Brandon Beachy (7-2) won his fourth straight decision, recovering from a shaky start to pitch six innings. He allowed six hits, two earned runs and struck out eight.

Matt Garza (6-10) allowed six runs — three earned — and eight hits over five innings. He struck out six.

The Braves took three of four from the Cubs and have won 16 of their last 21 games. Atlanta won its NL-high 38th road game.

Garza was coming off one of his best starts of the season in a 3-0 win over St. Louis last Saturday.

After Bourn led off the game with a single, Martin Prado reached when Garza dropped a flip from Carlos Pena at first. Garza then fell behind McCann, who homered into a stiff wind in right-center and put the Braves ahead 3-0 before Garza had retired a batter.

Prado reached on errors twice in the game, doubled, walked and scored two runs.

The Cubs cut into the lead on Darwin Barney’s groundout in the bottom of the first. In the second, Byrd brought Cubs within a run with a homer to left. Colvin tripled into the right-field corner and scored on Geovany Soto’s dribbler, tying the game at 3.

The Braves grabbed the lead right back with two runs in the third with help from the Cubs. Castro committed his NL-high 22nd error of the season and Garza walked Dan Uggla with the bases full. Freddie Freeman’s RBI single drove in the other run.

The Braves tacked on a run in the fifth on Jason Heyward’s sacrifice fly and another on McCann’s solo shot in the seventh. McCann leads NL catchers with 22 home runs on the season.

Bourn drove in a run in the eighth with his fourth single of the game, giving him his sixth career four-hit game. Bourn’s 160 hits are second in the NL to Castro’s 167.

The Cubs have committed 108 errors this season, most in the majors. Four of Atlanta’s runs were unearned.

NOTES: Cubs OF Alfonso Soriano was given a day off on Thursday after he was hit in the right forearm by a pitch during Wednesday’s game. Manager Mike Quade said Soriano was available for pinch-hitting duty and is expected to return to the lineup on Friday. . Braves RHP Tommy Hanson left the team and returned to Atlanta to have his ailing shoulder re-evaluated by team doctors. Hanson has been on the disabled list since Aug. 7 because of right rotator cuff tendinitis. . Manager Fredi Gonzalez said the Braves are “closely monitoring” Hurricane Irene and the effect it might have on this weekend’s series in New York against the Mets. . The Braves open a three-game series at New York on Friday, pitting RHP Tim Hudson against Mets lefty Chris Capuano. Hudson has won eight of his last nine decisions. . The Cubs will make the short trip north to face the first-place Brewers in Milwaukee this weekend, with Chicago RHP Rodrigo Lopez squaring off against LHP Randy Wolf in Friday’s opener. . Chicago’s Aramis Ramirez doubled in the eighth, his 700th career extra-base hit, and extended his hitting streak to 14 games.

CHICAGO – Brian McCann homered twice and the Atlanta Braves beat the Chicago Cubs 8-3 Thursday.

McCann hit a three-run homer in the first and a solo shot in the seventh for his eighth career multi-homer game. Michael Bourn had a career high-tying four hits, scored two runs, and drove in a run.

Marlon Byrd homered and Tyler Colvin added a triple and a run for the Cubs, who committed four errors.

Brandon Beachy (7-2) won his fourth straight decision, recovering from a shaky start to pitch six innings. He allowed six hits, two earned runs and struck out eight.

Matt Garza (6-10) allowed six runs – three earned – and eight hits over five innings. He struck out six.

The Braves took three of four from the Cubs and have won 16 of their last 21 games. Atlanta won its NL-high 38th road game.

Garza was coming off one of his best starts of the season in a 3-0 win over St. Louis last Saturday.

After Bourn led off the game with a single, Martin Prado reached when Garza dropped a flip from Carlos Pena at first. Garza then fell behind McCann, who homered into a stiff wind in right-center and put the Braves ahead 3-0 before Garza had retired a batter.

Prado reached on errors twice in the game, doubled, walked and scored two runs.

The Cubs cut into the lead on Darwin Barney’s groundout in the bottom of the first. In the second, Byrd brought Cubs within a run with a homer to left. Colvin tripled into the right-field corner and scored on Geovany Soto’s dribbler, tying the game at 3.

The Braves grabbed the lead right back with two runs in the third with help from the Cubs. Castro committed his NL-high 22nd error of the season and Garza walked Dan Uggla with the bases full. Freddie Freeman’s RBI single drove in the other run.

The Braves tacked on a run in the fifth on Jason Heyward’s sacrifice fly and another on McCann’s solo shot in the seventh. McCann leads NL catchers with 22 home runs on the season.

Bourn drove in a run in the eighth with his fourth single of the game, giving him his sixth career four-hit game. Bourn’s 160 hits are second in the NL to Castro’s 167.

The Cubs have committed 108 errors this season, most in the majors. Four of Atlanta’s runs were unearned.

NOTES: Cubs OF Alfonso Soriano was given a day off on Thursday after he was hit in the right forearm by a pitch during Wednesday’s game. Manager Mike Quade said Soriano was available for pinch-hitting duty and is expected to return to the lineup on Friday. . Braves RHP Tommy Hanson left the team and returned to Atlanta to have his ailing shoulder re-evaluated by team doctors. Hanson has been on the disabled list since Aug. 7 because of right rotator cuff tendinitis. . Manager Fredi Gonzalez said the Braves are “closely monitoring” Hurricane Irene and the effect it might have on this weekend’s series in New York against the Mets. . The Braves open a three-game series at New York on Friday, pitting RHP Tim Hudson against Mets lefty Chris Capuano. Hudson has won eight of his last nine decisions. . The Cubs will make the short trip north to face the first-place Brewers in Milwaukee this weekend, with Chicago RHP Rodrigo Lopez squaring off against LHP Randy Wolf in Friday’s opener. . Chicago’s Aramis Ramirez doubled in the eighth, his 700th career extra-base hit, and extended his hitting streak to 14 games.

by

The Associated Press

Atlanta Braves

CHICAGO — Derek Lowe had a strong outing, and Chipper Jones hit a home run, which might normally be enough to translate into a victory for the Braves.

But on this cool night at Wrigley Field, the Cubs reminded their fans that they have some stars, too.

Alfonso Soriano homered and Randy Wells pitched effectively into the seventh innings as the Cubs beat the Braves, 3-2, and snapped Atlanta’s six-game winning streak.

Wells (5-4) held the Braves to one run and two hits over 6 2-3 innings, striking out six and improving to 4-1 in his career against Atlanta.

Carlos Marmol got the last three outs and joined Lee Smith as the only Cubs relievers to post consecutive 30-save seasons.

Soriano’s two-run shot fueled Chicago’s three-run rally in the second. He also walked and was hit by a pitch. Aramis Ramirez added a single and two walks, extending his hitting streak to 13 games.

Chipper Jones and Alex Gonzalez hit a solo homers for Atlanta, which managed just three hits in the game.

Derek Lowe (8-12) took the loss, allowing four hits and two earned runs over seven solid innings.

Lowe threw a season-high 119 pitches.

Wells has struggled this season, going 3-4 with a 6.16 ERA since coming off a seven-week stay on the disabled list on May 28. On Wednesday, he flashed the form that gave him the NL’s 10th-best ERA as a rookie in 2009.

He got off to a fast start, setting down the first 10 Braves and striking out four. The only hit he allowed through the first six innings was Martin Prado’s infield single in the fourth.

Wells appeared to tire in the seventh, giving up Freddie Freeman’s flyout to the wall and Jones’ home run into the batter’s eye in center field. Wells threw 109 pitches and departed after Jones’ blast, which moved him into a tie with Jeff Bagwell for 34th on the career list with 449.

Gonzalez homered off reliever Kerry Wood in the eighth.

Soriano gave the Cubs their first lead of the series in the second with his 22nd homer.

It was a mammoth two-run shot to center field well over the 400-foot sign.

The Cubs added a run later in the inning thanks to the speed of Tony Campana, who reached on an error when Dan Uggla tried to hurry on a slow roller to second. Campana stole second, went to third on a balk and scored on Wells’ swinging bunt.

Ramirez didn’t figure in the scoring, but remained hot. He walked twice and reached on an infield single, extending his streak of reaching base to a career-high nine plate appearances before grounding out in the seventh.

Ramirez is hitting .560 (28 for 50) during his 13-game hitting streak and has reached base in 30 of his last 45 plate appearances.

BRAVES NOTES

l Outfielder Jose Constanza was out of the lineup for the second straight day because of a mild sprain of his right ankle, though manager Fredi Gonzalez said Constanza was available to pinch-hit. He expect him to return to the lineup today. …

l The Braves will send rookie Brandon Beachy (6-2) to the mound for this afternoon’s series finale against Chicago’s Matt Garza (6-9), who has posted a 1.47 ERA over his last nine home starts.

ATLANTA — The Braves keep coming up with new things to throw at each other when they celebrate.

This time, they went with the resin bag.

“I tried to get away,” Martin Prado said, breaking into a smile after his two-out single in the 11th inning gave the Braves their second straight last walk-off win over San Francisco, 2-1 Tuesday night.

“They got me with dirt, the resin bag, everything. That’s fine. It’s a great win for the team.”

Atlanta starting pitcher Randall Delgado had already dressed by the time the Braves won, but he sure did his part.

The 21-year-old rookie allowed no hits through six innings in his second big-league start.

He was lifted after giving up his lone hit — Cody Ross’ leadoff homer in the seventh that tied the game at 1.

Delgado insisted that he never thought about a no-hitter, but he knew how well he pitched.

That’s going to make it even more difficult to return to the minor leagues; he was called up to fill in for injured Tommy Hanson, and will head right back to Triple-A with Jair Jurrjens coming off the disabled list on Wednesday.

“That was pretty exciting,” Delgado said. “I’m so proud of myself.”

Pinch-hitter Brooks Conrad sparked the winning rally with a ground-rule double.

He then moved over to third on a ground out and came home on Prado’s opposite-field single to right off Javier Lopez (5-2) for the winning run.

Prado’s teammates charged out of the dugout and caught up him around second base, pelting him with all sorts of stuff in what has become a familiar team tradition.

They lead the NL with 22 wins in the last at-bat.

On Monday, the Braves rallied from a 4-2 deficit in the ninth inning, beating the Giants 5-4 on Freddie Freeman’s two-out, two-run single off Brian Wilson.

“This is what I really love about this team,” Prado said.

“We always go all the way to the end. If we lose, we lose battling.”

Twenty-year-old Arodys Vizcaino (1-0) picked up his first big league win with two scoreless innings. Manager Fredi Gonzalez gave him the game ball and the lineup sheet the Braves put up in their dugout.

“My first game, I was nervous,” Vizcaino said through a translator. “Now I feel like I’m part of the team because the guys make me feel so comfortable.”

Delgado, a 21-year-old prized prospect from Panama, looked right at home, too. He faced the minimum through six innings, the only baserunner reaching in the fourth when Mike Fontenot walked with one out, only to be erased on a nifty double play by the Braves.

Second baseman Dan Uggla went to his knees to field a grounder by Pablo Sandoval, wheeled around and threw to second, where shortstop Alex Gonzalez made the relay throw while leaping over a sliding Fontenot.

Gonzalez had hoped to get six innings out of the rookie, who made his major league debut on June 17 against defending AL champion Texas. Delgado was a bit shaky in that one, giving up seven hits and three earned runs in four innings, taking the loss in a 6-2 setback.

He pitched like a veteran against the team that beat Texas in the World Series, mixing a mid-90s fastball with breaking pitches that had the Giants lunging. Chris Stewart was so fooled while striking out in the sixth, he flung his bat into the stands behind home plate. No one was hurt, fortunately.

But Ross finally got to Delgado in the seventh. The right-hander threw three straight balls, managed a strike, then served up a 92 mph pitch that Ross launched deep into the left-field seats for his 10th homer.

“I was like, ‘Wow, that was a bad pitch,’” Delgado said. “He made me pay.”

As soon as Ross finished circling the bases, Gonzalez popped from the dugout to switch pitchers. Delgado threw 74 pitches and received a standing ovation as he walked slowly off the field.

The Giants may soon be out of players.

Sanchez sprained his left ankle when he slipped in front of the mound while fielding Delgado’s sacrifice bunt. He managed to make an awkward throw to first base from the ground, barely getting Delgado, but threw only one more pitch.

After delivering one that was nearly over the head of Michael Bourn, Sanchez limped off the mound and was replaced by Guillermo Mota. The left-hander was on crutches after the game; he hopes to try out the ankle in a couple of days to determine if he can make his next start.

“It’s disappointing what happened,” Sanchez said. “When I pressed on my ankle, I couldn’t go.”

The Giants, mired in a skid that knocked them out of first place in the NL West, began the day putting outfielder Carlos Beltran and reliever Sergio Romo on the 15-day disabled list. Three other players were nursing less-serious ailments that kept them out of the lineup.

After replacing Sanchez, Mota gave up a two-out single to Bourn that drove in speedster Jose Constanza, the surprising sparkplug of the Braves offense. The 27-year-old career minor leaguer reached on a bunt single and is hitting .403 since coming up to Atlanta in late June, playing so well that he’s starting ahead of last year’s rookie star, Jason Heyward.

The Giants cut off the throw home and got Bourn in a rundown — and what a rundown it was. Bourn drew five throws running back and forth before getting tagged out on a weary, headfirst slide into first.

NOTES: IF Miguel Tejada was supposed to do a rehab stint in the minors, but the injury situation forced the Giants to put him straight in the lineup at third base. … Braves 3B Chipper Jones batted sixth, the lowest he’s hit in the Atlanta order since 1997. … Jurrjens will be making his second career start against the Giants. He’s 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in his only other appearance. … Matt Cain will get the nod for San Francisco in the series finale. He’s 2-2 with a 4.03 ERA in five career starts vs. the Braves.

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves keep coming up with new things to throw when they celebrate.

This time, they went with the resin bag.

“I tried to get away,” Martin Prado said, breaking into a smile after his two-out single in the 11th inning gave the Braves their second straight last at-bat win over San Francisco, 2-1 Tuesday night. “They got me with dirt, the resin bag, everything. That’s fine. It’s a great win for the team.”

Randall Delgado had already dressed by the time the Braves won, but he sure did his part. The 21-year-old rookie allowed no hits through six innings in his second big-league start. He was lifted after giving up his lone hit — Cody Ross’ leadoff homer in the seventh that tied the game at 1.

Delgado insisted that he never thought about a no-hitter, but he knew how well he pitched. That’s going to make it even more difficult to return to the minor leagues; he was called up to fill in for injured Tommy Hanson, and will head right back to Triple-A with Jair Jurrjens coming off the disabled list on Wednesday.

“That was pretty exciting,” Delgado said. “I’m so proud of myself.”

Pinch-hitter Brooks Conrad sparked the winning rally with a ground-rule double. He moved over to third on a ground out and came home on Prado’s opposite-field single to right off Javier Lopez (5-2).

Prado’s teammates charged out of the dugout and caught up him around second base, pelting him with all sorts of stuff in what has become a familiar team tradition. They lead the NL with 22 wins in the last at-bat.

On Monday, the Braves rallied from a 4-2 deficit in the ninth inning, beating the Giants 5-4 on Freddie Freeman’s two-out, two-run single off Brian Wilson.

“This is what I really love about this team,” Prado said. “We always go all the way to the end. If we lose, we lose battling.”

The Giants put two players on the disabled list before the game, then lost starting pitcher Jonathan Sanchez to a sprained ankle in the third. Four relievers combined to allow only six hits and one earned run in eight innings.

That’s a tough one but I’m proud of the staff,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “They fought hard, man. They were into it.”

Twenty-year-old Arodys Vizcaino (1-0) picked up his first big league win with two scoreless innings. Manager Fredi Gonzalez gave him the game ball and the lineup sheet the Braves put up in their dugout.

“My first game, I was nervous,” Vizcaino said through a translator. “Now I feel like I’m part of the team because the guys make me feel so comfortable.”

Delgado, a 21-year-old prized prospect from Panama, looked right at home, too. He faced the minimum through six innings, the only baserunner reaching in the fourth when Mike Fontenot walked with one out, only to be erased on a nifty double play by the Braves.

Second baseman Dan Uggla went to his knees to field a grounder by Pablo Sandoval, wheeled around and threw to second, where shortstop Alex Gonzalez made the relay throw while leaping over a sliding Fontenot.

Gonzalez had hoped to get six innings out of the rookie, who made his major league debut on June 17 against defending AL champion Texas. Delgado was a bit shaky in that one, giving up seven hits and three earned runs in four innings, taking the loss in a 6-2 setback.

He pitched like a veteran against the team that beat Texas in the World Series, mixing a mid-90s fastball with breaking pitches that had the Giants lunging. Chris Stewart was so fooled while striking out in the sixth, he flung his bat into the stands behind home plate. No one was hurt, fortunately.

But Ross finally got to Delgado in the seventh. The right-hander threw three straight balls, managed a strike, then served up a 92 mph pitch that Ross launched deep into the left-field seats for his 10th homer.

“I was like, ‘Wow, that was a bad pitch,’” Delgado said. “He made me pay.”

As soon as Ross finished circling the bases, Gonzalez popped from the dugout to switch pitchers. Delgado threw 74 pitches and received a standing ovation as he walked slowly off the field.

The Giants may soon be out of players.

Sanchez sprained his left ankle when he slipped in front of the mound while fielding Delgado’s sacrifice bunt. He managed to make an awkward throw to first base from the ground, barely getting Delgado, but threw only one more pitch.

After delivering one that was nearly over the head of Michael Bourn, Sanchez limped off the mound and was replaced by Guillermo Mota. The left-hander was on crutches after the game; he hopes to try out the ankle in a couple of days to determine if he can make his next start.

“It’s disappointing what happened,” Sanchez said. “When I pressed on my ankle, I couldn’t go.”

The Giants, mired in a skid that knocked them out of first place in the NL West, began the day putting outfielder Carlos Beltran and reliever Sergio Romo on the 15-day disabled list. Three other players were nursing less-serious ailments that kept them out of the lineup.

After replacing Sanchez, Mota gave up a two-out single to Bourn that drove in speedster Jose Constanza, the surprising sparkplug of the Braves offense. The 27-year-old career minor leaguer reached on a bunt single and is hitting .403 since coming up to Atlanta in late June, playing so well that he’s starting ahead of last year’s rookie star, Jason Heyward.

The Giants cut off the throw home and got Bourn in a rundown — and what a rundown it was. Bourn drew five throws running back and forth before getting tagged out on a weary, headfirst slide into first.

NOTES: IF Miguel Tejada was supposed to do a rehab stint in the minors, but the injury situation forced the Giants to put him straight in the lineup at third base. … Braves 3B Chipper Jones batted sixth, the lowest he’s hit in the Atlanta order since 1997. … Jurrjens will be making his second career start against the Giants. He’s 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in his only other appearance. … Matt Cain will get the nod for San Francisco in the series finale. He’s 2-2 with a 4.03 ERA in five career starts vs. the Braves.