Cubs 7, Braves 1
CHICAGO -- Chris Coghlan went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and scored twice and right-hander Jake Arrieta pitched six shutout innings as the Chicago Cubs snapped a three-game losing streak with a7-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday night.
Coghlan's third-inning RBI single scored shortstop Addison Russell with the first run and first baseman Anthony Rizzo added a three-run homer as the Cubs (68-51) later in the inning.
Arrieta (15-6) won his fourth straight and had his third scoreless outing in his last four starts. He allowed four hits, struck out seven and walked one while throwing 107 pitches, 75 for strikes.
Braves right-hander Mike Foltynewicz (4-5) worked 4 2/3 innings and took the loss. Atlanta (53-68) dropped its fourth straight.
Cubs left-hander Travis Wood loaded the bases with one out in the eighth. Braves shortstop Adonis Garcia greeted right-handed reliever Justin Grimm with a sacrifice to right that scored right fielder Nick Markakis to end the shutout.
Grimm then got second baseman Jace Peterson to fly to left to end the threat.
Four straight hits off Foltynewicz in the third inning -- including three consecutive singles -- produced a 4-0 Cubs lead.
Coghlan's one-out base hit drove home Russell for a 1-0 lead. Rizzo followed with his 24th home run of the season on a first pitch to right, scoring center fielder Dexter Fowler and Coghlan. It was Rizzo's first homer in nearly a week.
The Braves had just one early baserunner and saw manager Fredi Gonzalez ejected in the third, apparently for arguing balls and strikes.
Atlanta had runners at first and second with none out in the fourth, but catcher A.J. Pierzynski grounded into a double play and Garcia struck out.
Russell extended the lead to 5-0 in the fourth, launching a 1-0 pitch to the left field bleachers for his eighth homer of the year.
The Braves threatened as second baseman Jace Peterson singled to open the fifth, stole second and landed at third with one out after an Arrieta wild pitch. Left fielder Michael Bourn then walked and stole second, but Arrieta struck out Foltynewicz and Markakis grounded to short to end the inning.
Left fielder Kyle Schwarber drew a walk to open the fifth and Coghlan brought him home with a triple into the right field corner for a 6-0 Cubs lead. Coghlan then scored on catcher Miguel Montero's double off the center field wall to make it 7-0.
That was it for Foltynewicz, replaced by left-hander Andrew McKirahan. Foltynewicz worked 4 2/3 innings and gave up seven runs and eight hits. He walked one and struck out none.
NOTES: The Braves and Cubs renewed one of baseball's oldest rivalries with the first of four games in Chicago on Thursday. The teams have met 2,261 times since 1876 and were once located just 90 miles apart when the Braves played in Milwaukee between 1953 and 1965. ... Braves OF Cameron Maybin's batting average with runners in scoring position (.376) is sixth in the majors. ... The Braves have used a franchise-record 56 players this year through last Sunday, topping the previous mark of 50 in 2007. ... Atlanta RHP Shelby Miller (5-9, 2.43 ERA) goes against Chicago RHP Kyle Hendricks (6-5, 3.97) in Friday's second game. ... Chicago had home runs from their top three spots in the batting order (Dexter Fowler, Kyle Schwarber and Kris Bryant) for the first time in 11 seasons during Wednesday's 15-8 loss to Detroit. ... The Cubs are 48-10 this season when scoring first but 15-38 when being outhit by an opponent. ... With 10 homers, Schwarber already is tied for seventh among National League rookies despite having played in far fewer (36) games.