Braves 7, Cubs 3
Mike Minor pitched into the seventh inning, and four Atlanta homers powered the host Braves to victory and a split of the four-game series.
Jason Heyward and Brian McCann slugged two-run homers in the first. Freddie Freeman and Juan Francisco added solo shots as the Braves wrapped up a 10-game homestand at 5-5.
Minor (5-6), who came in with a 6.20 ERA, did not allow a hit until the fifth inning. The left-hander went 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on three hits with two walks and one strikeout.
The Braves made Chicago starter Matt Garza (4-7) work in the first inning, forcing the Cubs’ right-hander to throw 44 pitches. Heyward hit his 14th homer of the season, a two-run shot with one out in the first. Freeman followed with a single and McCann connected for his 10th homer as Atlanta built a 4-0 advantage.
Freeman hit his 11th homer of the season with one out in the third, pushing the lead to 5-0. Francisco hit his sixth homer in the eighth.
McCann, battling a miserable slump, went 2-for-3. He added his third RBI of the night on a fifth-inning sacrifice fly. Martin Prado also had two hits, extending his hitting streak to 11 games. Freeman and Heyward each finished with two hits.
Geovany Soto broke up Minor’s no-hitter and shutout with one out in the fifth, belting his sixth homer of the season. Pinch-hitter Reed Johnson singled home two runs off reliever Kris Medlen in the seventh to bring the Cubs within 6-3.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Garza lasted just four innings, giving up five runs on five hits with three walks and six strikeouts … Game-time temperature was 100 degrees, the third time during the homestand the temperature was 100 or higher at first pitch … Atlanta sent struggling reliever Jonny Venters to the disabled list with a left elbow impingement … Francisco had a 16-pitch at-bat against Garza in the first and a 12-pitch at-bat in the fourth.