Cubs 4, Braves 0
ATLANTA -- Jon Lester snapped a pair of losing streaks while taking a no-hit bid into the eighth inning in the process.
The left-hander ended up allowing two singles over 7 1/3 innings and Chicago Cubs defeated the Atlanta Braves 4-0 on Saturday night before 45,758 at Turner Field.
The victory snapped a six-game losing streak for Lester, who hadn't won since May 16, and ended a stretch of eight consecutive losses by the Cubs in Atlanta.
Catcher A.J. Pierzynski broke up the no-hit bid by Lester (5-8) when he lined a 1-0 belt-high cutter into right field leading off the eighth inning.
Third baseman Juan Uribe then hit a long drive to center field and Lester was pulled after 110 pitches when shortstop Andrelton Simmons followed with a single.
Hector Rodon relieved Lester and got pinch-hitter Kelly Johnson on a fly ball before striking out second baseman Jace Peterson.
Right fielder Nick Markakis reached base for the Braves with two outs in the first inning on what was original called a single. Official scorer Jack Wilkinson, though, later changed the call to an error on third baseman Kris Bryant, who had tried to make a backhand pick on a short hop.
Pierzynski, hit by a pitch, was erased on a double play in the second inning and Lester didn't allow another runner until Uribe walked with two outs in the fifth inning.
Lester, who pitched a no-hitter for Boston against Kansas City in 2008, struck out seven.
The Cubs had scored just three runs for him while he was on the mound in his previous six starts and they didn't break this game open until scoring twice in the ninth.
The first run of the inning came was recorded thanks to a throwing error by Uribe and first baseman Anthony Rizzo then delivered an RBI single.
Jason Motte pitched the bottom of the ninth for the Cubs, allowing just a two-out walk.
Braves rookie starter Manny Banuelos was pulled with two out and the bases loaded in the fifth inning. Veteran right-hander Jason Frasor was the record 51st player used by the Braves this season, but the Cubs already led, 2-0.
A bad pickoff throw by Banuelos was costly in the third inning as Rizzo delivered a two-out RBI hit after Bryant singled and raced all the way to third on the wild toss.
The Cubs gave Lester a second run to work with in the fourth. Left fielder Chris Denorfia opened the inning with a ringing double to the wall in left-center field and shortstop Starlin Castro followed with an RBI single.
Banuelos, making his third career start, gave up six hits, walked two and struck out four while throwing 88 pitches. The first run against him was unearned, keeping his ERA at just 1.08.
NOTES: Cubs rookie C Kyle Schwarber, who had three hits and two errors Friday, wasn't in the lineup Saturday as veteran C David Ross was paired with LHP Jon Lester. ... Chicago RHP Jake Arrietta (10-5, 2.66 ERA) will start Sunday against RHP Shelby Miller (5-5, 2.38). Miller, who has gone 10 starts without a victory, was the Braves' only All-Star, but he didn't pitch. ... Cubs RHP Jason Hammel, who left a start on July 8 in the first inning because of a strained left hamstring, will be able to pitch Tuesday at Cincinnati. He threw a second side session Saturday and said he felt fine. ... A late-afternoon thunderstorm forced both teams to do pregame hitting indoors. ... The Braves visit Chicago for a four-game series on Aug. 20-23.